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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363200">Side Story: Sibling Ties</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireStorm1991/pseuds/FireStorm1991'>FireStorm1991</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Power Struggle [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Ball, 幽☆遊☆白書 | YuYu Hakusho: Ghost Files</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Crossover, F/M, Family, Gen, Science Fiction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:29:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>149,660</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireStorm1991/pseuds/FireStorm1991</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fourth part to my YYH series, Power Struggle. First segment of the YYH/DBZ crossover. Kaiya, a demon hybird, has many more problems than any hybird should have. Worried about her hidden memories, the spirit detectives take matters into their own hands and perform an experiment. When Kaiya wakes up, she will not only have her memories back, but she'll have a hidden secret as well.</p><p>Original FFN Run: December 10, 2012 - November 8, 2014</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Hiei (YuYu Hakusho)/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Power Struggle [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2001247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I don’t own Dragon Ball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, or the characters.  I only own my OCs.  Not all of the ones mentioned will be active in the story (the long list of OCs: Kaiya, Mika, Suki, Alexia, Nariko, Mayonaka, Kiense, Jiro, and Jake)</p><p>Okay, this first chapter is going to be a summary of my Yu Yu Hakusho series, Power Struggle (Power Struggle, Reikai Conspiracy, and The Hunted).  It is about three girls that eventually develop demon powers late in life.  However, one of the girls actually has a backstory in the DBZ universe.  This is Kaiya’s side story of how she found her brother, Vegeta, and how she went on in life without knowing.  DBZ fans do not need to read the series (because it is long and pretty convoluted XD).  The summary will highlight the major parts of Kaiya’s life.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya was a normal girl; at least, she was in the beginning.  For eighteen years she lived as a normal, human girl on her home planet, Earth.  When she went off to college, she developed troubling abilities.  Whenever she was afraid or upset, various flames would shoot from her body.  She met two girls who shared not only a possible career studying the sea, but abilities that they could not control.  They took a long weekend to meet a psychic who would train them to wield their abilities without hurting themselves and their loved ones.</p><p>During this time, they befriended a team of spirit detectives that protected the balance between Earth’s three dimensions: Human World (Ningenkai), Spirit World (Reikai), and Demon World (Makai).  The team consisted of a demon half-breed (Yusuke Urameshi), a human with heightened spiritual awareness (Kazuma Kuwabara), a fox youkai living within a human body (Kurama AKA Shuichi Minamino), and a fire demon born of a race of ice maidens (Hiei).  Kaiya was not quick to trust her new friends, and butted heads with Hiei until, eventually, through fighting as a means of communication, they grew to trust one another.</p><p>A few months had gone by since Kaiya and her friends, Mika and Suki, began to train with the psychic, Genkai.  After getting the majority of their powers under control, it was discovered that Kaiya had an evil twin sister, a water wielder named Mayonaka.  She turned out to be a misguided fool that was following her boyfriend, Kiense, a sadistic fire demon that had qualms with Spirit World.  He was the head of a conspiracy against Reikai.  The spirit detectives, also known as the Reikai Tantei, managed to take down the sadistic leader.  And then it came out that the Kiense they had been fighting was an alternate version of the one Mayonaka had dated.</p><p>With the evil leader of the conspiracy gone, Mayonaka and Kaiya were able to coexist; however, all was not forgiven and Mayonaka returned to America to live with the mother she never had a chance to know.  Kaiya eventually went home to visit both sides of her family.  Hiei followed her, worried about a story he had heard Kaiya tell to Mika and Suki before leaving.  He was worried that a relative would cause her harm.  Being a former thief, and betrayed by his own kind, he was not willing to let her go alone.</p><p>He was right, about the wrong relative.  The story was a joke about Kaiya’s little cousin.  The evil relative in question was Kaiya’s and Mayonaka’s father.  He was a demon hunter, and he did not react well to the fact that both of his daughters were dating demons.  By this time, Kaiya and Hiei had foregone their trust barriers and pride to be together.  Not only that, but Kaiya had befriended many more demons.  Even Kurama’s old thieving partner was considered a treasured friend.  Kaiya was devastated when she found out about her father, and as new telepathic abilities and visions began to take root in her mind, she found herself reliving a vision she had dreamt, being killed by her father and his electrical powers.</p><p>Kaiya’s friends did not react well to her death.  Hiei was out for blood, as were the others, and they were ready to take her father down.  Mayonaka stayed behind to mourn the loss of her sister, and to beg her spirit for forgiveness.  Kaiya’s body was then filled with energy, but not from her sister’s plea for her life.  Kaiya had possessed dormant demon blood from a fire demon clan long but forgotten.</p><p>The boss of the spirit detectives, Koenma, brought her to the battlefield where her friends would face off against her father.  No one had expected her to return, especially not as a demon.  The battle was difficult, and Kaiya managed to deal damage to her father, though not enough to kill him.  He was ready to take her life again, but Hiei would not let that happen.  He refused to lose someone he cared about again.</p><p>With the death of Kaiya’s father, more demon hunters came out of the woodwork.  The girls had gone on a camping trip with the spirit detectives, on which they found out about a ring of demon hunters.  More and more of Kaiya’s past started to be explained by her cousin.  She and her cousin Alexia had been trained as spies during a period of their childhood, and it was found that Kaiya had similar skills as Hiei, Kurama, and Kuronue, the three having been thieves before joining the Reikai Tantei.</p><p>When they had come up with a plan to take down a stronghold, Kaiya started developing fears.  A thunderstorm had her shaking, despite the fact that she had loved storms before.  Her father, Jiro, having killed her with electricity would always haunt her, but she knew there was more than that.  She would get caught up in a flashback, zoning out frequently, yet she could not see anything.  She would say she was fine, and no one would question her.</p><p>Later, another demon hunter attacked, yet again using her family.  A student of Jiro found her other cousin and pursued a relationship with her.  He did not know that much about Kaiya, though.  Hiei accompanied Kaiya home to America, to visit her mother, and to explain Jiro’s death.  Kaiya was afraid to tell her mother that she was part demon, but her mother accepted the truth.  Her mother’s niece, Nariko, did not and felt the need to share with her boyfriend the secret that she had heard.</p><p>The demon hunter, Jake, kidnapped both girls after Kaiya confessed to Nariko what she had told her mother the day before.  Kaiya fought back, but when talismans were used to keep her power at bay, she could only allow Jake to torture her for information until she lost consciousness.  She would never give information up on her demon friends.</p><p>Eventually the girls were rescued and reunited with their friends.  Suki and Mika had long since gone through their own demonic transformations.  The series ended with the girls discussing that they would have to get training with their new abilities.  But the story did not end there, and this is where the journey continues.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya would grow stronger every time she had nearly died, and after she had died, but she did not tell her friends.  Only Hiei knew because he was the only one who fought her on a daily basis.  Even though she knew she was part of a highly powerful fire demon clan, she could not explain her insane power-ups.  She continued to have visions of an uncertain future where she would meet the clan, but it had not happened.  What she knew was that her ancestral father would appear in her life, or at least she hoped she would.</p><p>Mika and Suki were long gone.  Kaiya had missed the girls, but she knew they needed to leave the town to find themselves.  Mika had a clan of her own to look after, and her advisors were training her to control her demon powers.  Suki had decided to follow Kaiya’s cousin, Alexia, to the spy organization she had been a part of.</p><p>Kaiya was back in her own home, continuing her education in studying marine biology.  Hiei thought it was a waste of time, but Kaiya would defend the oceans he did not understand being a wielder of fire.  She would always tell him that she was connected to it ever since she was a little girl.</p><p>She would also tell him, and her other friends, that she did not remember parts of her childhood.  All she remembered was her early years, one big time lapse, and then a continuation. When she talked to Kurama about it, things became more serious.  He had suggested she talk to her mother about her lapse in memory.</p><p>Kaiya had been going to self-defense classes, as per Jiro’s request.  That is where she and Alexia were trained to be “spies.”  Kaiya had nearly blocked that from her memory.  The girls would go to class once a week, but even Alexia had mentioned her week long disappearance.  Even Kaiya’s mother did not remember Kaiya being gone for that long.</p><p>Kaiya continued to train her abilities, and continued to have visions of the future, but faces were still hazy.  One thing was certain, one of the figures seemed familiar, from somewhere in her past.  However, whatever happened was completely erased from her memory.  Then something even more bizarre happened.</p><p>Kaiya began to have flashbacks.</p><p>This was nothing new to her.  Kaiya would go off on her own to think about her normal, human past.  The problem was that she was also having flashbacks of battles.  Battles with Mayonaka, Kiense, Jiro, and many others would replay themselves in her mind, and she would also feel the physical pain each time.  One night, Kaiya went into a fit of nightmares, and Hiei began to grow worried.</p><p>Now that Kaiya was living alone, he and Kurama decided to keep watch over her as she went through changes.  Something had to be done, but no one knew what.</p><p>“I just don’t get it,” Yusuke said.  “Koenma said that she was a normal human to start with and that her demon powers shouldn’t be having this kind of effect.”</p><p>“Hn, Koenma is a fool,” Hiei snapped.  “He always says that Spirit World has no information on what’s going on.”</p><p>“Hiei, this isn’t helping her,” Kurama said calmly.  “But I have a suggestion.”</p><p>“What is it?” Yusuke and Kuwabara asked simultaneously.</p><p>“Well, Kuwabara has access to a lot of computer software at his new job,” Kurama started to explain.  He sighed when everyone looked at him blankly.  “I can use the technology to create a type of device to see inside of her mind, at least while she sleeps.  Whatever these nightmares are that have been plaguing her, it’s obvious she doesn’t remember them when she wakes.”</p><p>“Okay, but what could computers do?” Kuwabara asked.  “It’s not like we can link them to her mind.”</p><p>“There’s new technology to study brainwaves,” Kurama stated, having thought this thoroughly.  “Kuronue and I can get ahold of the materials.”</p><p>“This sounds WAY too sci-fi for me,” Yusuke joked, “but I guess it’s better than nothing.  I normally wouldn’t say this, but even I’M concerned about this.  Ever since she came back as a demon like I did, all of these other side effects came up.  I was never like this.”</p><p>“We know this, detective,” Hiei growled at the teenager.  He sighed reluctantly.  “We can’t just connect her to some untested machine, though.  Not without her consent.”</p><p>“Of course,” Kurama said with a smile.  “That’s why we’re having this meeting.  We will only do this is Kaiya agrees to it.  Then we will get the materials we need.”</p><p>“I’ll talk to her,” Hiei grumbled before disappearing out Kurama’s bedroom window.  He needed to get to Kaiya and tell her their friend’s strange plan.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya was tossing and turning again, falling off the couch and waking herself up.  She attempted to get up, but she really hurt her back this time, or really her tail.  Neither Kaiya’s friends nor her family had ever seen her tail.  To be honest, she had no idea where it came from.  When she was nine, she didn’t have a tail.  Then one day, she woke up, and there was a tail.  She knew it wasn’t normal.  So she hid it from everyone somehow.  She may not have known where the furry appendage came from, but it didn’t seem to affect her much, except for being completely sensitive.  Landing on it was NOT fun.</p><p>Kaiya was a strange half-breed.  First off, she was a human/demon half-breed.  Everything about that screamed paranormal, but she went beyond that.  She knew that Yusuke had died like her, and had come back as a demon like her; however, he never had lapses in memory.  The only time was when his ancestor used his body to kill a human trying to destroy Human World.  It had never happened again, and Yusuke did not suffer from nightmares.</p><p>It would have been nice if she could find her ancestors from the Kajika Clan, but Koenma couldn’t track down information, or so he had said.  All she knew about her clan was that it was a band of fire demons and that they had telepathic abilities.</p><p>Even telepathic abilities didn’t concern her.  The ability to communicate thoughts was not a new concept.  Hiei was able to do that with his Jagan eye.  The visions, not that strange either.  Kuwabara’s sister would have premonitions, and she was human.  What was strange was that she would get trapped in her memories, of the past.  That had never happened to any demons or psychics that she knew, and, at this point, she knew quite a bit.</p><p>Another thing that bothered her was how she woke up from nightmares, ones she couldn’t remember.  A few times, she had woken up Hiei by attacking him as a defense.  The problem was that she didn’t know what she was defending herself from.  She would never remember the terrible dreams, and even Hiei could not focus in on them with the Jagan.  They were completely shrouded from her subconscious.</p><p>Kaiya didn’t even notice that Hiei had entered her apartment, well, at least not until he slammed the door shut.  The girl launched herself off the couch, having been deep in thought, trying to hang on to her lost memories.  “Oh, Hiei, what are you doing here?” she greeted her boyfriend with a fake smile.</p><p>“Don’t start with that,” Hiei muttered.  “We need to talk.”</p><p>“You should know better than to start a conversation out that way,” Kaiya said with a knowing smile.  “What’s up?”  She noted that he was not joking, though.  “Did something happen to Yukina?”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  Nothing had happened to his sister, and Kaiya knew it.  She would always ask that to take Hiei’s attention off of her.  “It’s about you,” he said.  “Kurama thinks he can figure out a way to see your memories as you dream them.”</p><p>“Oh?” Kaiya asked.  “And how does the great Youko Kurama propose we do this?”</p><p>“Apparently with some computers and some wired circuitry,” Hiei replied while staring at Kaiya’s face to gage her reaction.  What worried him was that she had no reaction.  “Kaiya…”</p><p>“So…he wants to make me into a science experiment,” Kaiya said monotonously.  “Why?”</p><p>“He thinks that, if we can see your memories, we can tell you, and they will be unlocked,” Hiei explained.  “But we won’t do anything unless you consent.”</p><p>“Consent?” Kaiya shouted at the fire demon.  “He wants me to consent to making myself a science experiment?”</p><p>“He wants you to consent to getting your memories unlocked,” Hiei retorted, matching her volume.  “Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they are hurting you, and not even I can figure out what’s wrong with you!”</p><p>Kaiya went silent after that.  She knew Hiei was right, and unfortunately this little experiment would be her best option.  “Okay, okay,” she reluctantly agreed.  “How and when?”</p><p>“Let us worry about that,” Hiei told her.  “We’ll take care of the how.  Kurama has some type of contraption in mind.  Then, once everything is set up, we will do this.”</p><p>“Let me guess,” Kaiya started.  “You’ll have to use the Jagan to force me to sleep, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Unless you want to be drugged,” Hiei replied with a shrug.  “And I already know how you feel about that.”</p><p>“Right,” Kaiya muttered.  “Well, then…I guess I’ll see you around…you know, when he gets the computer.”</p><p>Hiei nodded to her and placed his hand on her shoulder to give her a reassuring squeeze.  In an instant, he was gone, and Kaiya was left to wonder what her friends would see once they had her in an unconscious state.  Whatever it was, Kaiya had a feeling it would not be a good thing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1 - Going Under</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Let me get this straight,” Yusuke started looking up at a huge building.  “You’re interning at Capsule Corp., Kuwabara?”</p><p>“Yeah?” Kuwabara replied with a shrug.  “So?”</p><p>“What the hell is a Capsule…Corp.?” Hiei asked snappishly.</p><p>“It’s only the biggest name company in Japan, second to like, oh right, no one!” Yusuke exclaimed.</p><p>Kurama shook his head and looked around to the people out on the streets, seemingly going about their day but clearly watching them.  “Yusuke, we don’t need to draw extra attention to ourselves,” Kurama said darkly.  “We do, however, need to get inside and see if we can locate the technology we need.”</p><p>“And Kaiya won’t have a problem with us robbing a multi-million dollar corporation to help her?” Kuronue asked.</p><p>“Just think of it as we’re borrowing the technology for a good cause and will send it back with the intern when we’re done figuring out what is wrong,” Kurama cushioned.  Truth be told, he did not want to get back into the thieving game, but Kaiya’s health was more of a concern at the moment.</p><p>“Alright, let’s just get this over with,” Kuwabara muttered.  “I really don’t want my boss asking questions.”</p><p>As the guys entered the building, with Yusuke muttering things like “I can’t believe we’re going into Capsule Corp.,” they didn’t notice another energy entering the building from the sky.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya had woken up from yet another nightmare, and, surprisingly, this time she had a small recollection of what had happened.  She saw stars, actual stars, lighting up a pitch black sky.  But Kaiya, though she loved stargazing, did not remember ever seeing a sky so dark.  For now, she just sat in her kitchen drinking a cup of her favorite tension tamer tea, hoping that she could shed her nerves before class.</p><p>“Hello?” she heard a familiar voice say from behind her door.  Her eyes widened as she recognized the voice of her boyfriend’s secret twin sister.</p><p>“It’s open, Yukina,” Kaiya called out to her.  In hindsight, Kaiya realized she should probably lock her door more often.  She rolled her eyes at her random paranoia.  She lived in Japan; nothing bad EVER seemed to happen there, at least nothing that she couldn’t handle.</p><p>Yukina, an ice maiden of similar height to her brother, opened the door slowly and then entered Kaiya’s home.  She shut the door and made her way to the kitchen where Kaiya was currently sitting.  The ice maiden smiled at her friend.  “Good morning, Kaiya,” she greeted.</p><p>Kaiya just flashed her a warm smile before sipping her tea.  She watched the naïve girl studying her kitchen and couldn’t help but think that she should spend more time with the girl.  Even if Hiei was hesitant to tell Yukina of their sibling-ship, it didn’t mean that she should feel any less obligated in being a part of the girl’s life.  “Hey, Yukina, would you like something to eat?” Kaiya offered before standing up from her spot.  The hybrid moved to get another teacup and poured the girl some tea.</p><p>Yukina took the tea, but declined the offer for food.  “I came here because Kazuma said that you weren’t feeling well,” Yukina explained.  “I wanted to see if my healing powers could help you.”</p><p>“That’s really sweet, Yukina,” Kaiya replied with a smile, “but it’s not that kind of illness.  It’s not even really an illness.  I don’t know what it is.”</p><p>Yukina blinked in confusion.  “What do you mean?” she asked innocently.</p><p>Kaiya couldn’t help but hold in a chuckle at Yukina’s expression.  She was looking at her the same way Hiei had the night she attacked him in her sleep.  “It’s nothing, Yukina,” Kaiya said calmly.  “The guys will figure it out.”  Then Kaiya looked at the clock and freaked out.  “Oh my gosh!  I’m running late,” she said in a panic.  “Hey, Yukina…want to come with me to class?”</p><p>Yukina just tilted her head in question.  “What’s a class?” she asked.  “Oh, you mean at the school, like the ones Kazuma goes to.”</p><p>“Yeah, that,” Kaiya said nervously.  “Though he’s more engineering.  I’m more of a biology type person.”</p><p>“Um, okay, sure,” Yukina said with a smile.  “I’ll go.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled and nodded before rushing through the collection of her various books.  Then she and Yukina left the apartment, Kaiya locking her door yet staring back at it.  Feeling the start of a flashback in the process, she forced herself to look away from the white door and followed Yukina over to her car.  Hopefully with the ice maiden there, she’d be distracted from her feelings of displacement.</p><hr/><p>Back at Capsule Corp., Kurama was waiting for Kuwabara to get a copy of the floor plans to him.  Ever the planner, he was not planning on doing a job blind.  He needed to know the security as well, so that he could prepare the proper plants to take out the system.</p><p>“Okay, so I have the plans, but it’s just like a fire exit floor plan,” Kuwabara said bringing his fox demon friend the floor plan.</p><p>“It’s good enough,” Kurama stated before they heard a window smashing in the room next door.</p><p>“Um, what was that?” Yusuke asked with a brow raised.</p><p>“Oh God, not him,” Kuwabara muttered.</p><p>“Him?” Hiei repeated pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning on.</p><p>Kuwabara sighed.  “I don’t know.  The boss’s daughter went on some kind of trip and brought some guy with a bad attitude back with her.  He sometimes shows up here demanding mechanical repairs.  Doc. Briefs seems to be okay with the fact that this guy flies and smashes into his office at any giving moment.”</p><p>“Who does that remind you of?” Yusuke taunted, looking over his shoulder to see Hiei glaring daggers at him.  “Wait, this guy actually flies?”</p><p>“We’re on the thirtieth floor of the tallest building in the city,” Kuwabara pointed out in irritation.  “How else do you explain it?”</p><p>“Point taken,” the detective replied.</p><p>“Well, I’m sorry Vegeta,” they heard the doctor’s voice speak up.  “But if Bulma has refused to fix it…it really isn’t my area of expertise.  Even though the GR was my design, she made it into her own little project.  Besides, I’m working on this prototype brain scanner.  Didn’t she tell you?  Oh that girl is so forgetful.  Anyway, you’ll have to wait for her to return home.”</p><p>The guys didn’t hear much of a reply from the other individual in the office, other than the occasional growl.  They did, however, sense his power fluctuating in rage.  Worried that the man in question would attack the innocent doctor, the spirit detective gang was at the ready to defend the human.  Eventually the energy stabilized and they heard a dark voice growl out, “Whatever,” before hearing another smash in the office.</p><p>“Okay, seriously starting to remind me of someone,” Yusuke joked again before he noticed the contemplating look on Kurama’s face.  “Yo, fox boy…what’s up?”</p><p>Kurama looked over to Yusuke.  “He’s developing brain scanning technology,” Kurama stated.</p><p>“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” Kuwabara spoke up, not understanding how he had forgotten.  “I’ve actually been helping him develop it.”</p><p>“Wait…” Hiei said trailing off.  “You actually did something useful?”</p><p>Kuwabara didn’t even grace Hiei with a response.  Instead, he walked over to his boss’s office and shut the door.  The other four boys stared at each other curiously.  The Kuwabara walked out and said, “We can use one of the two prototypes.”</p><p>“He’s just letting us take it?” Hiei asked with distrust.</p><p>“You would be surprised how lenient he is,” Kuwabara replied.  “Anyway, I said we needed to run a test on it and a friend offered.  We’re actually doing him a favor.”</p><p>“I’m good with that,” Kuronue stated, “though it would have been nice to get back in the game.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Hiei muttered.  “Let’s just go.”</p><hr/><p>Kaiya didn’t know what was going on anymore.  During her class she had zoned out, only to be brought out of her trance by Yukina’s gentle hand.  The hybrid shook her head.  She had brought Yukina back to Genkai’s temple after her class.  Then she drove to the ocean, to sit and relax.  She just didn’t want to think about anything anymore.</p><p>She just felt so disconnected and out of place, despite being a generally happy person.  Still, it wasn’t like her to completely shut down on her friends.  She knew that was a problem.  At least she was letting them help her, though. She didn’t think she could figure things out on her own.</p><p>Sighing for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, Kaiya looked off to the left and was surprised to see a man standing on the beach.  He looked to be a few inches taller than her with black hair in the shape of a flame.  Something about the man seemed highly familiar, but Kaiya had no idea how she recognized him.</p><p>He looked over to her as if he sensed her watching him.  Kaiya smiled at the guy and lifted her hand to wave at him.  The man growled at her and turned away.  <em>Strange, </em>Kaiya thought, feeling even more displaced.  She decided to start walking over to him.</p><p>The man flashed her a look that screamed “take another step and I’ll kill you.” Kaiya stopped dead in her tracks as the man took off to the sky.  She watched him fly and then looked back over to the water.  Part of her was wondering if that guy just needed to get away too, and if so from what.  Maybe he was like her and felt connected to nature.  Shrugging it off, she ran back to her car and started heading home.  That reminded her, she really needed to sleep.  She only hoped she could stay awake on her drive home.</p><hr/><p>She didn’t know that across town, the man she had seen on the beach was pondering who she was as well.  Vegeta could not shake the feeling that he knew the strange human girl on the beach, which was strange because he had only been on Earth for a couple of months while waiting for the Dragon Balls to become active again.  His plan was to see Kakarot again, defeat him, and then leave to go who knew where.  He hadn’t had time to meet any other Earthlings than the buffoons Kakarot had as friends.  The only females he had had the displeasure of interacting with were Kakarot’s harpy, his blue-haired best friend, and the crazy blonde woman that lived in the compound.</p><p>He definitely did not meet this girl on Earth.  Question was, where did he know her from?  He tried thinking back over his time with Frieza and he couldn’t place her anywhere.  Growling in frustration, Vegeta decided to forgo his thoughts, not caring.  It didn’t matter to him how he knew this girl.  At least, that’s what he told himself.</p><p>He returned to Bulma’s house and found the woman reading a magazine in the kitchen.  Not wanting to deal with another argument at the moment, he started to head to the room he currently occupied in the large home.</p><p>“Where do you think you’re going?” he heard her ask.  He growled again, wanting so much to blast the woman standing in front of him.  She sounded so condescending and it annoyed him, being talked down to like a child.  He didn’t grace her with a response.  He just stared at her.  “Hey, I asked you a question.”</p><p>“What does it matter to you?” Vegeta spat at her, irritated by her attitude.  When Bulma didn’t cringe or stand down, he sighed in frustration.  She looked at him with worried eyes as he sighed, and he didn’t like it.  “Why are you looking at me like that, woman?”</p><p>Bulma frowned and said, “You honestly don’t know, do you?”  Vegeta shook his head.  “Vegeta, I think you had a nightmare last night.”</p><p>Vegeta’s expression darkened as he turned to fully face her.  “And did I say anything?” he asked in curiosity.</p><p>“Not anything I could understand,” she answered honestly.  “But you kind of blew a hole in the wall between our rooms.  I…just wanted to tell you that I’m concerned and well, if you want to talk about whatever you’re dreaming, I’ll listen.”</p><p>“I can’t,” Vegeta grumbled out.</p><p>“It was just an offer,” Bulma said defensively.</p><p>“No, I mean…I can’t tell you what I’m dreaming, because I never remember when I wake up.”  Vegeta silently cursed himself for giving out that kind of information, but it sounded like he managed to attack the woman in her sleep, so she deserved to know.</p><p>“Really?” Bulma asked in surprise.  “That’s…different.”  Vegeta’s eyes narrowed at her.  “No, I mean, it’s just strange that you can’t recall you dreams.  Must be a repressed memory or something.  Hey, I have an idea.  My dad has been working with mind scanning technology.  If you want, I could investigate for you.”</p><p>Vegeta thought about it for a brief second before, but the frowned again.  “Why should I trust you?” Vegeta scoffed.  “I would never lower myself to being a science experiment.”</p><p>“Vegeta, don’t look at it like that,” Bulma said reassuringly.  “I think I can help you.  It’s better than having nightmares where you could hurt yourself, never knowing where it’s coming from.  What do you have to lose?”</p><p>“Let’s say I do this,” Vegeta said glaring at her heatedly.  “How would you go about it?”</p><p>“Well, we’d have to get you to sleep,” Bulma said, “and then in a sleep induced state, I’d be able to scan your mind and-“</p><p>“You want to do what to me?” Vegeta shouted.  “You think for a second I would let you force me into an unconscious state?  I will not drop my defenses for you to do God knows what to my head.  It’s not happening.”</p><p>Before Bulma could say anything in response, Vegeta raced up the stairs.  She heard his door slam and then winced.  She was only offering for his own good, as well as the safety of those in the house.  Had she been in her room instead of working on a project at the lab, she would have been his next victim, and it wouldn’t have even been his fault.  She had just wanted him to give his consent, so that she didn’t have to go to plan B.</p><p>Plan B was to drug him, which Bulma was fully against.  Unfortunately, for his safety and her family’s, she would need to cross that line.  She just had to keep reminding herself that this was for his own good.  Hopefully she would find something useful and he would not be <em>too</em> furious with her for meddling.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya was doing her homework, but was distracted from her earlier encounter on the beach.  Flicking her pencil back and forth, she stared at the words in her textbook while resting her head on her arm.  She couldn’t figure out why she was feeling so haunted by the look of disgust in the eyes of the strange man she had seen.  Part of it hurt her, making her feel an overwhelming sense of rejection, and she didn’t even know the person rejecting her.</p><p>Slightly growling in frustration, Kaiya shot up from her chair and moved to go get a plethora of snacks.  When she turned, Hiei was standing in her doorway staring back at her.  “Hn, you look like crap,” Hiei pointed out in his oh so delicate manner.</p><p>“Not in the mood, Hiei,” Kaiya breathed out.  She saw Hiei’s expression become one of concern and realized how exhausted and out of it she must have sounded.  “What’s going on?”</p><p>“Well, we didn’t have to steal anything,” Hiei joked slightly.</p><p>Kaiya rolled her eyes and then smiled.  “Were you worried about what I’d say if you did?”</p><p>“Hn, don’t flatter yourself,” Hiei retorted while attempting to hide his blush.  “Anyway, we have everything we need and we can do this tonight…if you’re still up for it.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  She couldn’t take the exhaustion anymore, plus her friends wouldn’t leave her alone if she didn’t at least let them try.  “Let’s get this over with,” she muttered unhappily.  “Let me guess, Kuwabara’s right?”</p><p>“Seeing as his sister won’t ask questions, yes,” Hiei replied with a nod.  He walked over to Kaiya and took her hand, squeezing it slightly in reassurance.  Kaiya smiled to her boyfriend’s uncharacteristic gesture.  Hiei may not have been one for emotion, but he would always comfort her when it counted, and she knew by the same time tomorrow, she would need every ounce of comfort.</p><hr/><p>Bulma felt guilty as she placed her Saiyan houseguest’s food on the table.  Tonight was the perfect opportunity to investigate his nightmares, especially with her parents out.  It gave her the excuse to prepare Vegeta’s food without question, and also to get away with drugging the Saiyan into a semi-conscious state.  Only then would she be able to use her father’s prototype to get into his head.</p><p>And as she finished placing the food on the table, Vegeta was there, called forth by his Saiyan appetite.  Bulma flashed him a smile to which he just sneered and took a seat.  Vegeta began to eat the food, ignoring the fact that Bulma was staring at him intensely.  He hoped that if he just continued to ignore her, she would go away.  Out of nowhere, he began to feel drowsy, even more so than usual.</p><p>“Woman, what did you do?” he growled out, standing up wearily and readying himself to blast her.</p><p>“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Bulma said with innocence.  “But hey, you don’t look so good.  Maybe you should take it easy.”</p><p>“I will not ‘take is easy,’” Vegeta snarled.  “You did something to me and I demand to know…what…it…is…” he said attempting to stalk threateningly towards her.  However, he ended up on the floor seconds later.</p><p>“Heh…well that could have gone better,” Bulma said to herself.  “Now I have to figure out a way to move him to the couch.”</p><p>Bulma sighed and then worked on moving the Saiyan into the livingroom.  She put the mind scanning wires on his forehead and turned on the computer simulator.  “Alright, Vegeta, let’s see what’s going on in there.”</p><hr/><p>“Are you sure this is safe?” Kaiya asked nervously.  Everyone had ended up showing up at her apartment.  According to Kuwabara, his sister had a guest over and they couldn’t do this there.  “I mean, have you ever put anyone under with the Jagan before?”</p><p>Hiei flashed Kaiya a look of disbelief.  “Do you really want me to answer that?”</p><p>Kaiya sighed.  “Never mind.”  She looked over to the monitor at the many waves that appeared.  “So…how will you actually be able to tell what I’m dreaming?  It’ll appear on the screen?”</p><p>“Yes,” Kurama replied.  “In theory.”</p><p>“I hate when people say ‘in theory,’” Kaiya muttered.  “If you don’t know, then don’t bother answering.”</p><p>“Someone’s moody,” Yusuke scoffed.  “This’ll definitely be good for you then.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Kaiya retorted.  She lied down and tried to close her eyes.  Whatever she did, she could not relax.  Feeling the presence of her boyfriend in her mind caused her to release a small yelp.  She jumped up, but the fire demon gently held her down.</p><p>“You need to calm down,” Hiei told her.  “I’m not going to hurt you.  There’s nothing to be afraid of.”</p><p>Kaiya sighed and leaned into his hand as she felt him forcing her under.  It took her a while to finally relax and let him take over.  The next thing she knew, everything went dark, and all she heard was the silent humming of the mind scanner.</p><p>“Okay, now what?” Yusuke asked Kurama loudly.  Hiei flashed him a slight glare, silencing him, so that he could focus on keeping Kaiya under.  Kurama just motioned to the monitor.  So far, her brainwaves were normal.  They waited for about fifteen minutes before there was an abnormality.</p><p>“What the…?” Kuwabara asked hesitantly.  He looked over to Hiei whose eyes were now opened, widened with shock.  “Hey, shrimp…what’s wrong?”</p><p>“Kaiya blocked me out,” he said in a panic.  “Her telepathic abilities activated and then knocked me out of her head.”</p><p>“What?” Yusuke shouted.  “How can she do that?  The Jagan is more powerful than her abilities, right?”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “Apparently not,” he muttered in irritation.  Really he was just trying to hide his concern as something appeared on the monitor.  “Hey, what’s that?”</p><p>Everyone turned to look at the screen and saw that the waves on the monitor were replaced by a visual.  Their faces expressed their deep confusion at what they were seeing, but what shocked them more is what they were hearing.</p><p>
  <em>“I was getting back from another purge with Nappa and Raditz.  Frieza ordered us to his throne room to discuss our progress with Planet Trenea.  I hated bowing down before that lizard, yet here we were kneeling at his feet giving him a detailed report of the events that took place on Trenea.  He was pleased and dismissed us, but not before giving Raditz and I new missions.  Raditz was being sent to another planet with some of Frieza’s other soldiers and there was nothing either Nappa, Raditz, or I could do about it.  I waited to hear my orders.”</em>
</p><p>“Um, should it concern us that Kaiya’s voice sounds like a guy right now?” Kuronue finally spoke up.</p><p>“It’s not her voice!” Hiei snapped at the bat demon.</p><p>“Okay, okay, jeez, it was just a joke,” Kuronue defended.  “Everything seems fine, anyways.”</p><p>
  <em>I had to wait until Frieza briefed Raditz on his mission.  When Frieza was finished describing the mission in boring detail, he dismissed Nappa and Raditz.  I was expecting another beating, but was surprised when he called Zarbon out.  He was carrying a little girl who appeared to be sleeping.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Your mission is simple,” Frieza said.  “All you have to do is keep this child safe from the men on my ship, including me.”  He was suggesting that he planned to harm her and if she didn’t survive it would be my responsibility.  I checked my scouter.  Her power level was small, but decent for a young, non-Saiyan child…about 50.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Zarbon handed the kid to me and I reluctantly brought her to my quarters.</em>
</p><p>“Last time I checked…a child version of Kaiya being handed over to a stranger by some creepy, purple lizard is not ‘fine,’” Hiei sneered.  He continued to watch what was happening in confusion.  They were supposed to be seeing into Kaiya’s head, not some guy.  Something must have happened when she opened her telepathic connection.  At least now they would get some answers.</p><p>
  <em>“Who’s the kid?” Nappa asked as I entered the room.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I laid her down on my bed and glared at her.  “My assignment.  I have to keep her alive even if Frieza decided to have his way with her.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nappa shrugged.  “That sucks.  What’s her power level?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I scoffed.  “Only fifty.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Frieza is only doing this because he wants you to fail, you know,” Nappa stated.  I nodded in agreement.  “I’m going to get us some food.  Should I get the kid anything?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I shook my head.  “We’ll worry about it if she wakes up.”  Nappa nodded and left.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now how was I supposed to keep this little thing safe from Frieza and his men and what the hell did they want from her?  On second thought, why did I care?  Because I knew it would be my life if she was killed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I was brought out of my thoughts when the girl stirred in her sleep.  I watched her wake up and take in her surroundings.  Then she looked directly at me.  I couldn’t help but scowl.  She remained unfazed and looked around again.</em>
</p><p>At least now they would be able to see what happened.</p><hr/><p>Bulma was very confused.  She had done everything she was supposed to according to her father’s notes, yet instead of seeing brainwaves, she saw pictures.  That was not how the technology was supposed to work.  What was even stranger was that she was looking at a teen version of Vegeta and listening to the voice of a girl, a small child by the sounds of it.  She too seemed very confused.</p><p>
  <strong>I don’t know how it happened, but it did.  I was walking to my “superhero classes” and I ran into my friend/enemy, Alexia.  We said our goodbyes and after turning a few corners, something happened.  I don’t know what, but I lost consciousness.  I woke up in some place I didn’t recognize and wondered if I got myself into trouble again.  I then noticed a teenage boy staring at me (or into space… couldn’t tell).  He noticed me staring and glared at me.  I looked around again to see if I could figure out where I was.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I thought maybe he was sent to hurt me, but he didn’t seem scary so I decided to be friendly and try to get to my class.  I’m sure I was already late and that this boy would understand me wanting to get there as soon as possible.  We chatted for a little while but I got confused when he asked me what planet I was from.  We were still on Earth, right?</strong>
</p><p><strong>“Excuse me, but where am I?  I’m supposed to be going to going to a class a self-defense class.  I’m training to be a child spy.”</strong>  Vegeta scowled, but it seemed like he was angrier about the fact that he was dealing with a child, Bulma thought.</p><p><strong>“How old are you, girl?” Vegeta asked her. </strong> Yup, that definitely proved Bulma’s prediction.</p><p><strong>“I’m nine years old,”</strong> the girl answered.  <strong>“I’d like to stay and chat but I really need to get to class.  If I don’t go, I’ll get in trouble.  The person in charge is a mean person and if I skip class I’ll be punished severely.  Can you help me get back?”</strong></p><hr/><p>
  <em>She really had no idea what was going on.  There was no going back and there was no way I could help her.  But why would I even want to?  “You can’t go back,” I finally answered.  She looked at me in shock and then pulled her knees to her chest and started crying quietly.  She was actually terrified at the thought of not getting to this “class,” or whatever it was.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why not?” she asked in a whisper.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I didn’t even know.  Maybe this answer would suffice.  “Because you’re not on your planet anymore.  You are on a spaceship owned by Frieza.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Who is Free-zer?” she asked wiping her eyes.  “And I don’t believe you.  Aliens aren’t real.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I stared at her in disbelief.  How could anyone possibly say that?  Where was this kid from?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Where are you from?” I asked again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked at me and answered, “I’m from New York.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That did not sound like the name of any planet I had heard of.  “I meant what planet are you from, girl?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“My name is Kaiya,” she stated, “and I’m from Earth.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That explained a lot.  I heard rumors of a planet that pretended alien life didn’t exist.  Other soldiers had at some point found themselves on Earth for at least a day.  It was an in-between point between galaxies.  I had never been there, though.  Before I could think to ask her any questions, one of Frieza’s men entered my chamber.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Frieza is requesting the presence of the little girl.”</em>
</p><p>“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up!” Yusuke shouted.  “Kaiya was abducted by aliens?  That explains so much.”</p><p>And this earned him a smack over the head by Hiei.  “Can you be serious for once?” Hiei snapped.  “We don’t know that they were aliens.  She was NINE!  She probably didn’t understand anything going on.  They’re probably some weird breed of demon.”</p><p>“Hiei, calm down,” Kurama ordered.  “Your energy is fluctuating rapidly and I doubt you want to call upon the Dragon of the Darkness Flame right now.”</p><p>Hiei’s eyes widened.  He hadn’t even realized that he let himself go that far.  He too could feel the Dragon stirring under his bandages.  Taking a deep breath, he managed to settle himself and the Dragon, before returning to Kaiya’s side and taking hold of her hand.</p><p>“That still isn’t explaining who this guy is,” Kuwabara stated, “though he does sound incredibly familiar, don’t you think?”</p><p>“It would help if we could see him,” Kuronue muttered.  “Speaking of which, why are we seeing this from his memory and not from Kaiya’s.”  No one knew how to answer that.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>When I asked him if I could go back to class, he said I couldn’t and I became scared.  I would be in so much trouble if I skipped.  He told me we weren’t on my planet and that we were on some guy named Free-zer’s spaceship.  But I was always told aliens weren’t real.  And any of the show with aliens portrayed them as evil and scary.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I was now terrified, especially when a scary looking alien walked through the door and said Free-zer wanted to see me.  I looked over to the teenage boy I met and hoped he would stop the alien from taking me away, but he looked away.  I screamed for help all the way to some room, yet no one came to help.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I came face to face with a very scary alien and I could sense that his power was high.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“So you are finally awake, I see,” he said with a creepy voice.  I couldn’t help but shake slightly.  I felt really cold…maybe that’s why his name was Freezer.  I was pulled out of my thoughts when I flew into the wall.  I looked up at the alien to see him scowling.  “I asked you a question and you are to answer it.”  I asked myself what question he asked me.  Didn’t he just state that I was awake.  That wasn’t a question.  “Don’t make me ask you again.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I simply nodded and he gave me a creepy smile.  He walked back to his throne and his men directed me to follow.  I didn’t know what else to do so I went with it.  Maybe I could escape or at least figure out why I was there.  I looked around at the other soldiers.  They were stronger than me and there were more of them so escape wouldn’t happen.  I chose the latter of my plans…asking.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Why am I here?”                                                                    </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I received a punch in the face from a blue guy with green hair.  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“You dare speak to Lord Frieza like that?”  <em>Like what? </em>I thought to myself, while also mentally correcting the name of the alien.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I just asked a question,” I said with confusion in my voice.  I was hit harder that time.  My head hit the floor really hard, but I got back up only to be hit back down again.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Zarbon, that’s enough,” Frieza said.  He looked at me a smirked again.  “The girl wants to know why she’s here.  I think it’s time we let her know.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I was hit a few times by Frieza before I couldn’t move.  I heard my bones crack after being hit into the wall repeatedly.  I didn’t understand how anyone could laugh while doing something so mean.  I was screaming in pain and he kept beating me.  I just didn’t understand.  Was this really all because I missed my class?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I sensed someone run into the throne room but I refused to open my eyes; I just kept screaming in sheer agony.  I felt myself being carried away by someone, and was just thankful to feel Frieza’s energy disappearing with each passing second.</strong>
</p><p>Bulma frowned as she heard more of the little girl’s story.  It was clear from her thoughts that she had no connection to the tyrant and yet he was viciously beating her senseless.  It made Bulma frown because it reminded her that Vegeta had grown up in that type of environment.  Speaking of which, the Saiyan was still out cold, and yet he was not attacking her in his sleep.  It was strange, because he always seemed to struggle when asleep.  This new presence, this Kaiya, must have been the cause for his peace, but Bulma could not figure out why.</p><p>“How do you know this girl, Vegeta?” she asked herself.  “And what happened to her?”  Bulma silently pondered this as she watched the memories continue to play on the screen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 2 - Alien Stranger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: Don’t own the DBZ or YYH characters.  Just some (many) OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yusuke and Kuwabara had left the room and returned with a bunch of movie snacks.  Hiei glared heatedly at them as they started munching on popcorn and slurping away on soda.  “Do you MIND?” he asked incredulously.</p><p>Yusuke looked at him like he was nuts.  “What?  This is the best sci-fi movie we’ve seen in a while.  Might as well get comfortable,” he said.  “Besides, it’s not like there’s anything bad happening like would have happened in her dreams, right?”</p><p>Hiei growled and crossed his arms.  Pouting, he looked back to the screen and his eyes nearly flew out of their sockets.</p><p>
  <em>After the soldier left, I waited a few minutes before I left for Frieza’s throne room.  He hinted on what he was planning and if I wanted to keep my life, I had to make sure she lived through the beating she was about to receive.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I entered the throne room just in time to see her on the ground, screaming in pain.  Something inside me snapped seeing her like that.  Frieza smirked in my direction and watched my eyes as he was about to blast her away.  I was quick enough to get her out of the beam’s path.  Frieza’s smirk disappeared.  He clearly wasn’t happy about me ending his fun.  Nappa was right; he wanted and was waiting for me to fail.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I glared in his direction, but bowed to him anyway, and then left the throne room and headed to the infirmary.  This kid needed medical attention and she needed it immediately.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The doctors set her up in the regeneration chamber and told me it would take a few hours.  It was already late and they were heading to their quarters for the night.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I glared at the unconscious child.  In less than an hour she had managed to irritate me, make me miss dinner, get Frieza pissed at me, and now, I wouldn’t even be able to get to sleep at a decent hour…not that I required much sleep.  It was still infuriating.</em>
</p><p><em>I read her file that the doctors so stupidly left out.  I saw the information she gave me: Kaiya Ishii, 9 years old from Planet Earth.  I continued to read: power level 50, hidden powers unknown, power level higher than those on Earth, potential threat to the Cold Empire (recently added).  All I could think was ‘why?’  It was unbelievable to think some weak child could be a threat.  It had said “recently added,” so something about her power had to have </em>just <em>made itself known.</em></p><p>Yusuke thought he could actually feel flame dancing on his skin as Hiei glared at him.  “You were saying?” he bit out in a dark and dangerous voice.</p><p>Yusuke chuckled nervously before putting the snacks aside.  “Um, yeah…sorry about that,” he said wishing he had just stayed in the room.  Even Kuwabara looked as guilty as the detective felt.  They couldn’t believe that Kaiya had been hurt that badly before…especially as a child.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>That was the last thing I remembered before I lost consciousness.  The next thing I knew I was in a small space surrounded by liquid.  I thought I was drowning.  I tried to fight my way out but I couldn’t; I kept hitting the walls of whatever I was in.  The boy from earlier got me out of the tank and ripped a mask off my face.  I guess I had been able to breathe the entire time, but I was too panicked to realize that.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I hid my face in his chest and cried until I felt him rubbing my back.  It reminded me of my mommy back home.  When I stopped crying, he picked me up and we left the room.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I saw it,” I said to him.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Saw what?” he asked.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“The stars</strong>
  <strong>.  Through the ceiling of that…that…scary guy’s ceiling. We really are in space, aren’t we?” He nodded. “And I’m never going home, am I?” He didn’t say anything. “Why?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I don’t know,” he said sincerely.  I didn’t know either.  At least for now I was safe and this boy was taking care of me.  I asked him who he was and he told me though he seemed to be irritated.  I asked a lot of questions before he got distant and looked even more irritated, though a lone tear fell.  The anger scared me.  I didn’t want to be punished again, so I apologized quickly.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make you mad.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Look kid, I’m not mad. I just don’t like talking to people. It’s not you; it’s everyone. Got it?”  I felt better that he wasn’t mad at me, but sad because he didn’t like talking to people.  How could someone handle being so alone?  The thought of being alone always scared me.</strong>
</p><p>Bulma felt her heart clench at the anxiety and fear that the little girl felt.  It warmed her, though, that the cold-hearted Saiyan she had come to know had a soft spot for her.  Maybe she reminded him of himself when he was younger; maybe that was why he acted so calmly around her.  And then something struck Bulma.  Had the little girl said that he cried?</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Looking over to the regeneration chamber, I saw her struggling.  Her heart rate was high and she looked panicked.  A nightmare?  Now I knew what Nappa had to deal with when I had nightmares.  Watching her in such distress was bothering me and I still hadn’t figured out why I cared.  I shouldn’t.</em>
</p><p><em>The girl, Kaiya, woke up which never happens when one is in the regeneration chamber (too much sedative).  Her cuts and bruises had been healed and she had one remaining scar on her right arm.  Kaiya was panicking and I couldn’t figure out why other than she was scared of Frieza.  It wasn’t until she started flailing in the chamber and trying to find a way out, banging on the glass, that I realized what was wrong.  </em>She’s claustrophobic…</p><p>
  <em>Immediately, I emptied the tank of its fluid and got the mask off of her.  She started crying and buried her face in my chest.  She refused to calm down.  What the hell was I supposed to do?  Maybe… I started rubbing her back, hoping she would calm down.  It was something I could barely remember, but I knew my own other had comforted me that way before…maybe when they were telling me I had to go with Frieza.  Apparently it had worked, and I picked her up and started walking back to the room I shared with Nappa.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I saw it,” I heard her say.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Saw what?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“The stars,” she answered.  “Through the ceiling of that…that…scary guy’s ceiling.  We really are in space, aren’t we?”  I nodded.  “And I’m never going home, am I?”  I didn’t answer.  “Why?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All I could say was, “I don’t know.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked up at me again, this time in curiosity.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Who are you?” she asked.  Great, questions.  I wanted to ignore her, but couldn’t if I wanted her to shut up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Vegeta.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She giggled.  “That sounds like vegetable.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hn.”  Please let her be done with questions.  She’s young.  What more could she possibly want to know?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How old are you?” Damn.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Sixteen.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why are you here?”  God help me…</em>
</p><p><em>“None of your concern,” I growled.  Thinking about it angered me so greatly.  I was infuriated that I was here to begin with, and now I had to worry about some brat that would probably get me killed before I could finally reach my goal.  She frowned and teared up, which I noticed once I smelled her tears.  </em>What now? <em>I though irritably.  This girl was way too emotional for her own good.  That would hinder her here.</em></p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry,” she said.  What was she apologizing for?  “I didn’t mean to make you mad.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I sighed in frustration.  This was going to be a LONG assignment.  “Look kid, I’m not mad.  I just don’t like talking to people.  It’s not you; it’s everyone.  Got it?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaiya shook her head.  “It’s not good to keep things to yourself.  It can be bad for you and others to keep things bottled up.”</em>
</p><p>Smart kid<em>, I thought.  Still, I refused to tell her or anyone else anything.  I didn’t need her or anyone else.</em></p><p>Kurama looked at Hiei’s saddened expression.  “Hiei, what’s wrong?”</p><p>“Kaiya said something similar to me before we started dating,” Hiei admitted.  “I can’t believe she was this selfless when she was just a little kid.”</p><p>“Really, Hiei?” Yusuke asked.  “I mean, she’s dedicated her life to taking care of ocean animals, and she looked after her step-sister, little brother, and cousins, putting herself before them when we dealt with…well, you know.  What did you expect?”</p><p>“For the girl who just met her father the year before, a lot more anger,” Hiei replied.  Yusuke shut up after that.</p><p>“Hey, did you guys notice anything strange?” Kuwabara asked.</p><p>“Like what?” Kuronue muttered.  “Other than the fact that she’s in space!”</p><p>“No, not that!” Kuwabara shot back.  “Did the guy say his name was Vegeta?”</p><p>The five spirit detectives looked to one another with wide eyes.  Wasn’t that the name of the guy who had been smashing around Capsule Corp. that same day?</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>We got back to his room and I saw a man sleeping in the other bed.  I didn’t know who he was.  Vegeta looked over at food on the table and then back at me.  I remembered that I had lunch on me when I saw my backpack lying on the other side of the room.  Vegeta just stared at me.  I didn’t know what he was thinking, but he looked back to the food.  He probably wanted to know if I was hungry.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I have lunch with me,” I said.  “I was going to be at my class all night, so I packed food.” </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Vegeta grunted in response, and I started to unpack my lunch.  Nibbling on it in silence, I watched as Vegeta continued to eat a large amount of food.  He was still eating when I was done.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I saw him staring at the wall across the room, thinking hard about something and it made me worry.  He looked so sad and I didn’t want someone who was so nice to me to be sad.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Vegeta?”  He looked over at me instantly.  “Are you okay?”</strong>
</p><p>Bulma was shocked at how perceptive the little girl was.  She seemed to really understand those around her, and she was very sweet.  The Earthling smiled as she thought about the fact that Vegeta had been exposed to the kind of consideration Earthlings possessed, but then she frowned again.</p><p>Vegeta couldn’t get access to these memories, or else she wouldn’t be doing this in the first place.  Did that mean he didn’t remember little Kaiya?  Or had something terrible happened that caused this memory block.  Had Frieza done something to the girl?  There were just so many unanswered questions.  <em>This is as bad as watching a thriller</em>, she thought bitterly as she continued to watch the screen.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>“I have lunch with me,” she said.  “I was going to be at my class all night, so I packed food.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes, that class she mentioned.  Training to be a child spy?  Sounded like a she had an innocent imagination, but with the power level she had, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was telling the truth.  If that was the case, how much trouble would she face for being here and missing it?  Pfft, what did it matter?  She wasn’t going back anytime soon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I began to eat my food and was still eating when she had finished.  I was surprised to see how she finished her food in a few minutes.  It reminded me of how Saiyans ate back on Vegeta-sei.  That thought left a bittersweet taste in my mouth and instantly ruined my appetite, surprising since I hadn’t eaten in days.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Vegeta?”  I looked over to her.  “Are you okay?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I scoffed at her question.  We were on a ship with a sadistic tyrant.  I don’t think any of us could be considered ‘okay.’</em>
</p><p><em>“No, but then again, I never am.”  </em>Where the hell did that come from?<em>  I suddenly felt ill and put my hand to my forehead.  Then something unexpected happened.</em></p><p>
  <em>I looked down and saw Kaiya hugging my waist.  I was shocked.  How could this little, innocent girl hug me, a cold-blooded murderer?  It didn’t make sense to me.</em>
</p><p>“I bet you feel the same way sometimes,” Yusuke taunted Hiei.</p><p>Hiei was struggling to restrain himself.  Yusuke was getting on his last nerve.  Whether or not he respected Yusuke as his team leader and friend, it did not lessen his desire to kill him in that moment.  Then he heard Kaiya let out a small whimper from the bed.</p><p>All attention was on her before Kurama and Kuronue looked back at the screen.</p><p>
  <em>Sighing, I picked her up and put her to bed.  I was going to sleep in my chair, but I felt her hand on mine, tugging on me.  I looked down at her and whatever was left of my heart nearly broke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Can’t you stay with me?” she asked innocently, fear darkening her eyes.  “At least until I fall asleep?  Please?  I’m scared and I miss my mommy.  I don’t want to be left alone.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I reluctantly agreed and got into the bed next to her, and she curled into me holding me in a vice grip.  There would be no way for me to get up even if she did fall asleep, but at least I wouldn’t have to deal with her crying again.  “Goodnight, Geta,” she mumbled as she fell asleep.  Leaving me speechless, I fell asleep soon after.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Bulma had seen some terrible things in her life, and within the last year most of it was caused by Vegeta.  However, seeing this softness in his younger self, she couldn’t help but think so much more highly of him.</p><p>
  <strong>He actually stayed with me, and I felt safe.</strong>
</p><p>Bulma looked back to the face of the sleeping prince, a smile dusting her face.  Despite what he would have anyone believe, he truly must have had a heart of gold to care for the little girl the way he did.  Kaiya definitely had to be someone of great importance for him to have lowered his guard that much.</p><p><strong>Then I had a bad dream; it was about Frieza.  </strong>Bulma’s face fell again.</p><p>
  <strong>I was shaken awake and saw an older man looking down at me.  I tried to get away from him on the other side of the bed, but for some reason he looked like he was concerned for me.  I was still unsure of him.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Who…who are you?” I asked fearfully.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The man stared at me and rubbed his head as if he were nervous.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Where’s Geta?” I asked looking around before he could even respond.  He looked fearful for a moment.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Uh…” he finally spoke up.  “Well, Vegeta went for a little walk.”  It sounded like he was lying.  “He’ll be back soon.  Vegeta said your name is Kaiya?”  I nodded in response.  “Well, Kaiya, I’m Nappa.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Are you Geta’s friend?” I was hoping he was.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Uh, yeah, you can say that,” he answered.  I relaxed slightly, but not by much.  “Are you okay?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I nodded, but I was still afraid. All of a sudden, he started to make funny faces.  I couldn’t help but laugh.  He told me he used to do that for Vegeta when he was a little kid, and so I told him about a game I knew, “Pat-a-cake.” We played for a little bit before I yawned and lied back down, and Nappa tucked me in.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Goodnight, little one,” he said.  I smiled before falling asleep.</strong>
</p><p>Even Bulma couldn’t believe the same Nappa that killed her friends acted so kindly towards the little girl, or even Vegeta.  It made her wonder what happened between Vegeta and Nappa that led Vegeta to kill the older Saiyan.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The next morning I woke up and I actually felt at peace.  Kaiya was still asleep; however, Nappa was already awake and dressed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What’s her story?” he asked me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“She’s from Earth,” I answered.  “Her name is Kaiya and she’s nine.  She has some special power that she probably knows nothing about.  According to her file, she’s a threat to the Cold Empire.  Frieza is probably going to attempt to break her and use her to purge planets, like…”  I couldn’t finish the sentence.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Like you?” Nappa asked cautiously.  I ignored him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Other than Frieza, the other things I’ll have to monitor is that she’s claustrophobic and afraid to be alone.  If Frieza figures this out, he’ll use it to break her quicker and she’ll probably lose her sanity.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well, that’s just great.  She’s going to end up getting you into trouble.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I looked at her and let a sad smile show.  “I know.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I had left the room, leaving Kaiya alone with Nappa.  I had been ordered to be at Frieza’s throne room a few minutes later, already knowing what I was about to face.  It didn’t matter.  I knew I’d survive.  It was just another moment to file in my mind to force me into becoming the Legendary.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When I returned, Nappa was watching Kaiya sleeping, yet he greeted me.  Kaiya must have heard because she moved and sat up with her eyes still closed and yawned.  Rubbing her eyes she called out to me.  “Geta?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I walked over to her.  “I’m right here, girl.  What do you need?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m hungry,” she answered.  I heard Nappa chuckle and I soon followed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ll go out and get us all some food,” Nappa said.  I was shocked.  Nappa, the royal guard who was normally cut-throat, was acting somewhat kindly towards this little girl.  How, after only minutes of knowing her, did either of us soften up that much?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I nodded to Nappa and he took his leave.  Kaiya got up and I saw that her clothes were torn from yesterday.  How did I not notice that before?  I headed towards the door when I felt her ki spike.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Relax,” I said without looking at her.  “I’m just going to find you some suitable clothes to replace those rags.  I’ll be back soon.”  With that I took my leave.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I found some clothing in a room where I normally pick up new armor after missions.  I overheard the other soldiers talking and heard that Frieza left the ship and wouldn’t be back for a few days.  I hadn’t heard news that wonderful in years, especially after the beating he gave me earlier when Kaiya was still sleeping (punishment for ruining his “fun” with the girl…idiot).  That meant, for the time being, anyway, that Kaiya would be safe from Frieza.  The only ones I would have to watch out for would most likely be Cui, Dodoria, and Zarbon…how I hated them so, but not as much as Frieza himself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I returned to the room to find Nappa and Kaiya eating breakfast.  She was making a mess, but apparently she was doing it on purpose.  I chuckled at that.  She heard me and looked over to me.  She got off the bed and ran to me.  I was taken by surprise as she jumped up into my arms and hugged me.  “Morning, Geta,” she said happily.  I’ll never understand her attitude.  Scared one minute, happy another…strange child.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She ran over to the bed and picked up a piece of paper with the drawing of a blue and green sphere.  She must have had materials in that bag that Zarbon delivered the day before.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s Planet Earth,” she said while smiling.  She was obviously very proud of her drawing.  On the back she wrote “There’s no place like home” three times.  I didn’t understand the significance, but one thing was clear…she missed her planet.  I knew the feeling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After we finished eating, I told Nappa the news about Frieza.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Good,” he responded, “we won’t have to deal with the bastard for three days.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What’s a ‘bastard?’” Kaiya asked innocently.  Nappa and I looked at each other after forgetting we were around a child, an innocent child who probably didn’t hear words like that often.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Something you shouldn’t say,” I answered.  I just realized how much I sounded like an older brother or something, but shrugged it off.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, so it’s a bad word?” she asked and I nodded.  “Okay, Geta.  I won’t say it.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I grunted an approval and got up to get into my armor.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What’s that?” Kaiya asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nappa chuckled.  “Well, you’re full of questions, aren’t you?”  Kaiya smiled and nodded.  “Well, that’s armor that we used in battle and to train.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Are you guys superheroes?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I frowned when she asked that.  Nappa just stared at her blankly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Let’s just go train,” I grunted out.  Nappa nodded and turned to Kaiya.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do we do about her?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“She’s coming with us.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaiya’s face lit up and she ran over to me and grabbed my hand.  She then looked behind me curiously.  I quirked an eyebrow, curious to know what she was looking at.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You have a tail,” she stated.  She went to touch it and I smacked her hand away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No,” I said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Because I said so.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Okay.”  I was surprised she gave up so easily.  I was more surprised by my own reaction.  Normally I would have blasted anyone who attempted to touch my tail; I didn’t do that with her.</em>
</p><p>“Aw, she’s so adorable when she’s curious,” Yusuke said with a grin.  “Hey, this guy really is acting like an older brother.  Are we sure it’s the same Vegeta from Capsule Corp.?”</p><p>“How many other Vegeta’s do you know?” Kuronue asked.  “And it’s an ALIEN name, so the fact that there’s a guy on Earth named Vegeta draws a red flag.  I mean, didn’t he say Planet Vegeta-sei or something like that?  What more evidence do you need?”</p><p>“Well, Doc. Briefs and his daughter are really good with technology,” Kuwabara stated.  “It’s possible the trip she went on was in space, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, how?” Yusuke asked.</p><p>Hiei just sat and listened to the guys bickering.  He looked over to Kurama who seemed to be pondering something.  “Fox, you haven’t said anything in over an hour.  What’s the problem?”</p><p>“Well,” Kurama started hesitantly, “months ago there was a reported alien sighting.  And entire city was destroyed by two alien invaders; however, after a time, the city was reported to be fine and the inhabitants didn’t seem to remember anything.  Maybe they did something on the planet, and that’s how he came to know the Briefs.”</p><p>“Wait, your saying these guys came to ‘purge’ us or whatever word he used was?” Yusuke asked in disbelief.  “If that’s the case, maybe it’s better Kaiya doesn’t remember them.”</p><p>“That’s not your call to make!” Hiei shouted at Yusuke.  He was so close to ripping the detective’s head off.  “If Kaiya felt safe with him, then when she wakes up, if this guy is this person from her memory, it will be HER choice to know him or not.  You cannot make the decision for her.  You know she hates that.”</p><p>“Okay, settle down,” Yusuke said motioning his hands downward.  Then he looked back.  “Wait, he said he got beaten for protecting Kaiya.  Why is this lizard guy giving him the task of protecting her when he wants to kill both of them?”</p><p>“I will never understand how certain individuals behave,” Kurama said darkly.  “The fact that he brought children into his organization is despicable.  I hope we never cross paths for if we did, my death plant would be feasting on his life force.”</p><p>Kuwabara leaned over to Yusuke and whispered in his ear, “I forgot how scary he can be when he’s pissed off.”</p><p>“Tell me about it,” Yusuke muttered.  He still could feel Hiei’s eyes burning into the back of his skull.  “If I don’t make it out of this alive, tell Keiko I love her.”</p><p>Kuwabara rolled his eyes.  “If you’re so worried, tell her yourself.”</p><p>Yusuke chuckled nervously before watching more of this crazy world Kaiya once knew.</p><p>
  <em>The three of us walked to the training ground.  Kaiya seemed to be taking in her surroundings.  We received stares from some of Frieza’s soldiers, but none of them would try anything…unless they wanted to die.  I was sure Nappa was thinking the same way I was.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nappa and I trained alone for a few hours before we decided to spar with each other.  Kaiya was watching intently.  I was worried that our fight would traumatize her, but she seemed to enjoy it.  She kept cheering for me to win…I had never heard anyone cheer for me before.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I heard Nappa chuckled.  “I guess we know who her favorite is,” he said.  “I have to admit, part of me is jealous.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I rolled my eyes at him and took the opportunity to hit him in the gut.  He fell to the ground and, after I settled down, I helped him up.  Kaiya came over to us clapping and laughing.  She thought we were fighting for sport…how naïve.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She went over to Nappa and hugged his leg.  “You learn more from a loss more than a victory,” she said.  Where did she learn that?  She was pretty wise for a nine year old.  Nappa picked her up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thanks for the comfort, kid,” he said.  “You’re not half bad.”  Kaiya giggled and smiled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The walk back to our room was quiet and Kaiya seemed to be lost in thought.  I’m sure all she was thinking about was Earth, but nothing could be done.  Not until Frieza gave an order.  Until then, I decided that she was one of us…at least for now.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>The three of us remained deep in thought as we returned to the room after the spar.  Nappa went to get food again and came back to find Vegeta and me in a one-sided discussion.  I knew Vegeta was irritated with how much I was talking, but I’m just naturally talkative.  He just let me talk, though, and I was happy because he was listening to me, like a really nice older brother.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Hours later Vegeta and Nappa took off their armor and got ready for bed.  Vegeta let me stay with him again and I continued to tell him stories.  I told him about my family and Earth before finally falling asleep.  The next morning, I woke up alone.  I guessed that Vegeta and Nappa went to go train again.  I smirked slightly as I thought about something for my own training.  I was on a highly secured spaceship.  There had to be important files lying around, guarded of course.  I thought it was high time I get some spy practice in before I returned home.</strong>
</p><p>“She is a bold child, that’s for sure,” Bulma said with a sigh.  She looked over to the sleeping prince.  “Seriously, she really could be related to you.  She has that natural pride you seem to exude.”</p><p>Vegeta grunted in his sleep, making Bulma chuckle.  “I really hope for the kid’s sake that she didn’t get caught.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3 - Secret Uncovered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya was starting to cringe in her sleep, her jaw tensing.  Hiei wasn’t sure how much more he could take of seeing her in anguish.  She had suffered enough in the past year.  This was supposed to help, not hurt her.</p><p>The fire demon felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Kurama.  He was looking at him with worried eyes.  “Hiei, maybe you should get out of the room for a bit,” he suggested.  “We both know you hate being confined to one spot.”</p><p>“I’m staying here,” Hiei responded.  There was no way he was going to leave Kaiya alone when she was going through something so major.  “I refuse to abandon her.  I’m not him.”</p><p>Kurama sighed.  “Hiei, no one is saying you are like Jiro.  Just get out for a few minutes, get something to drink or whatever.  A five minute break, and then you can come back.”</p><p>“Um guys,” Yusuke said nervously.</p><p>“I’m NOT going,” Hiei snapped back at his most trusted friend.  “I promised her I wouldn’t leave her side.”</p><p>“Guys,” Kuwabara tried.</p><p>“I know, Hiei, but she will be fine,” Kurama replied calmly.  “But you will drive yourself mad worrying about her.”</p><p>“GUYS!” the other three in the room shouted.</p><p>Hiei and Kurama turned to them, Hiei angered, Kurama confused.  “What is it?” Kurama asked.</p><p>“You’re never going to believe this…” Yusuke said as everyone tuned into the scene.</p><p>
  <em>I let Kaiya sleep in this morning since we were up most of the night talking…well, she was talking.  She was telling me things about Earthling culture and her family members whom I could tell she missed.  She taught me some songs that she brought with her (she had something called a CD player and some CD’s in her bag).  I liked the rock music and, surprisingly, the classical.  The classical was peaceful…something I wasn’t used to.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nappa and I left for the training fields.  I felt compelled to write her a note with her markers and paper.  We even left her some food for when she woke up.  I came back hours later, alone since Nappa went to the infirmary after our training session (I may have hit him a little too hard) and found Kaiya surrounded by folders, crying.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When she saw me, she hid under the blankets, and I walked over to the bed.  “What’s wrong?” I asked softly in fear that I might upset her further.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry,” she cried.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I couldn’t hide my surprise.  “For what?” I asked a little more harshly than I intended.  She handed me the folders.  They were our files…the ones that I knew to be locked in Frieza’s private quarters on Saiyans.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I felt fear for the first time in ages, not for me, but for her.  “Did…did you break into Frieza’s room?” I asked.  I already knew the answer before she nodded solemnly.  “Why?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Because he’s bad,” she answered.  Well no duh.  Of course he was and that was why she shouldn’t get herself in trouble with him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know,” I responded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No,” she said, “you don’t.”  I tried to hide my anger.  She was beaten by him once; I was beaten by him…I lost count.  If anyone knew what he was capable of, it was me.  She probably knew what I was thinking because she took the folder and turned it to a specific page and pointed to a paragraph in my file.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It said that Frieza was responsible for the destruction of Planet Vegeta-sei.  I was startled, but not surprised.  I had long ago suspected that Frieza was lying to us about the meteor shower.  Our planet wasn’t weak enough to be destroyed by floating rocks.  I continued to read that he had purposely called me to his ship.  He knew the legend of the Super Saiyan and knew that I was most likely going to ascend.  His ultimate goal was to break me, mold me into an obedient servant, and then use my power to destroy all who opposed him.  I knew he wanted to break me.  The rest of it…that, I was not expecting.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I looked back at Kaiya who had already cried herself to sleep.  I wasn’t even going to ask how she managed to get into Frieza’s quarters without being caught…or at all.  I decided to read her file and was disgusted with what I read.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her father had long ago, on the day she was born, promised that he would hand her over to the Cold Empire as a servant.  She had a hidden power…something to do with fire.  That fire power protected her from being killed when she was born (the report didn’t go into details).  Apparently, this “spy school” where she would be training was a facility owned by Frieza to get highly trained warriors for his future army.  The children would undergo many tortures to break them and help shape them into killers.  Frieza apparently wanted to see if she was strong enough to sustain damage and before she made it to a class, had someone knock her out and kidnap her.  He intended to send her back in a few weeks to undergo more torture.  However, now that his plans were known, he might attempt to kill her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Reading my file more closely, I found that it was Kaiya’s father who suggested for Frieza to destroy my planet.  It was bad enough he bargained his daughter’s life for protection and power, but he had to drag my home into it as well?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I realized how similar Kaiya and I actually were.  We were both bargained by our fathers for protection.  Obviously Frieza wasn’t a man of his word when it came to my father.  Both Kaiya and I were considered threats to Frieza’s empire and he was trying to break and use both of us.  I couldn’t imagine what this girl would be facing when she returned to Earth.  All I know was that some way, somehow, I would protect her even if it was the last thing I did.</em>
</p><p>“If I hadn’t killed Jiro,” Hiei started while attempting to reign in his anger and disgust, “I would most definitely be torturing the life out of him now.”</p><p>“Easy, Hiei,” Yusuke said.  “Kaiya’s going to really need you to be calm when we tell her.”</p><p>“Do we have to tell her that part?” Kuwabara asked.  “It will kill her…I would prefer not to see her so devastated.”</p><p>“We don’t know what part has been causing the nightmares,” Kurama said unhappily.  That meant they would need to tell her everything verbatim.  It would be difficult, but at least she had them, and, if they were right about their theory, Vegeta.  From what they were hearing, Vegeta actually seemed to care about Kaiya while she was there.  Hopefully now wouldn’t be much different.</p><p><em>As soon as I made this revelation, </em>their attention was brought back to the Saiyan’s thoughts, <em>Nappa entered the room.  I threw the files at him and told him to read them carefully.  He was in shock by the situation as well, but he read something that I had missed in my anger.</em></p><p>
  <em>In her medical page, it said that she had a blood transfusion, hours earlier, using Saiyan blood.  I asked Nappa where they got the blood from, because I doubt it came from any of us.  He read further and paled, and I learned something that I hadn’t known before…I had a sister who had been sent away as an outcast, like my brother Tarble, for the lack of fighting abilities.  The child had been sent to an unknown planet at the time.  Apparently she was killed by one of Frieza’s soldiers and her blood was kept for experimentation at a later date.  Another thing I learned that day was that my sister’s blood incorporated itself into Kaiya’s blood.  The DNA didn’t coagulate the same way with the Saiyan blood.  So in a way (and a really bizarre and confusing way)…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Kaiya is my sister?”  I definitely didn’t see that coming.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Pretty much,” Nappa responded.  “Genetically at least, thanks to the experiment.  Maybe that’s why we feel protective over her.  She’s your sister and I’m the royal guard and general.  It’s my duty to protect the royal family.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I took in a deep breath.  None of this made sense.  But then I looked down at Kaiya and instantly smiled.  I had a sister and I would be damned if I let Frieza or anyone else on this ship harm her again.</em>
</p><p>“Holy crap,” Yusuke said, the room echoing nothing but silence.  The hum of the machine was all that could be heard in that moment.</p><hr/><p>Bulma just stared at the monitor.  She couldn’t understand what she had just heard.  “There’s no way…there’s just no way.”</p><p>
  <strong>Later on, I woke up and found that Nappa brought more food from the cafeteria than normal.  Vegeta gave me more food than I was used to eating and demanded I eat it all.  I didn’t question him.  Somehow I knew he was looking out for me.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>All day he seemed to want to tell me something, but he waited until Nappa was asleep.  I wasn’t prepared for what he told me, but it made me happy.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m your brother,” he had told me.  I looked at him, tilting my head in confusion.  I didn’t know how that was possible since I was from Earth and he was an alien.  He started talking to me about blood, and I kind of lost sight of the conversation afterwards.  Something about a blood transfusion and a science experiment.  It didn’t matter, anyway.  I already saw Geta as a big brother.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I was still upset about being a science experiment, though.  It was wrong.  I was scared and started crying again, not understanding any of it, so Vegeta pulled me into his lap and started telling me about his planet...our planet?  He talked to me about the culture, about how we were a strong and proud warrior race.  I blinked up at him.  I had never considered myself to be strong before and I was always afraid to fight.  I didn’t tell him that, though, because he told me that admitting weakness is worse than admitting defeat.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>He also told me that the color of the royal house was navy blue.  There was also a language that he taught me a few words for, as well as a type of mental communication that Saiyans developed with one another.  It was how they could recognize each other, which is how he subconsciously knew who I was.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>It made me sad, though, that there weren’t many Saiyans left.  There was at least another one, named Raditz, that was doing some type of mission.  I didn’t really know WHAT he was doing.  When I asked Vegeta, he told me not to worry about it.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Before we went to sleep, I asked Vegeta if he and Nappa would go back to Earth with me, Raditz too.  They would get away from the mean lizard and we could be a family.  Vegeta frowned at me before pulling me into a hug.  He never gave me a response, but he hugged me as if he were never going to see me again.  I didn’t know that he was planning to send me away the next day.</strong>
</p><p>“I knew you had a heart, Vegeta,” Bulma said, stroking the sleeping Saiyan’s arm comfortingly.  He would have had to have one if he was willing to risk his life to protect the little girl that came into his life.  And if from what Kaiya’s thoughts showed her was right, her Earthling father had put them both in that terrible position.  “That’s more than I can say for some people.  I wish I could meet this guy and give him a piece of my mind.”</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The next day, Nappa and I let Kaiya sleep in again.  She had woken up with us, but was tired.  I had tickled her with my tail which made her giggle before putting her back to bed.  I was happy she went down quietly.  Nappa and I had work to do.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We searched the launch pad for extra space pods and found a few unregistered pods that did not yet have the tracking system installed.  That was her best chance of escape.  We were about to go and get her ready for departure when we heard her scream just around the corner.  Wasn’t she still in our room?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When we reached where she was, we found her with Cui.  She was screaming in fear and begging him to get away from her.  Normally that would have bothered me.  She was a Saiyan, and Saiyans didn’t show fear to their enemies, but she was still raised as a human.  I didn’t even want to think of what Cui would have done if we hadn’t gotten there in time, but we did and I let him have it.  Nappa grabbed Kaiya, and we all took off for the space pod once Cui was down.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaiya refused to let go of me when I tried to put her in the pod.  I hadn’t forgotten the claustrophobia, but this had to be done.  I apologized to her in advance before knocking her unconscious, placed her in the pod, and activated the stasis.  She’d be fine until she got to Earth.  I used mental communication to give her one last message.</em>
</p><p>I love you, sister.  Be safe.  Maybe we’ll be together one day in the future.  <em>I knew that this probably wasn’t true.</em></p><hr/><p>I love you, too, Geta<em>,</em> <strong>I communicated back to him in the softest whisper.  I couldn’t believe he was sending me away.  I wanted him to come with me.  Mommy would have loved him too.  He shouldn’t have stayed behind with the mean lizard that destroyed our home.</strong></p><p>
  <strong>I don’t remember much before I lost consciousness, but I do remember waking up in my bed.  After that, all of my memories disappeared from me, locking themselves away in the darker places in my mind.  I remember a voice telling me I would never remember no matter how much my mind wanted me to.  All I knew was that I would never again see or remember my brother, and that thought scared me more than anything else.</strong>
</p><p>The transmission ended there, the screen returning to one that showed brainwaves.  The shocking thing was that the lines were no longer skewed, meaning that Vegeta would now have full access to whatever memories he had, and most likely the view from Kaiya.</p><p>Bulma was worried, not that he would be mad, but what he would do with this new information.  Frieza was gone, but the damage he had done was still ever present in Vegeta’s life.  And now this little girl, she was out there.  How would he ever be able to make peace with any of this when his sister was still out there, away from him?</p><p>Bulma was so deep in her worrying that she didn’t notice Vegeta had woken up.  He was shocked that the woman was so upset about his own past.  As he watched her tears fall, he cleared his throat.  Bulma looked back at him, many apologies dancing in her eyes.  They were not only apologies for drugging him and forcing him to relive his past, but for the sister he may never find again.  After all, what were the chances they could find her somewhere on the blue planet?</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Nappa and I watched as the pod left.  We didn’t know that Dodoria had seen the whole thing.  The two of us smiled knowing she was safe, and thinking it would never get traced back to us made us overly cocky.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Days later, Frieza returned.  I was in mine and Nappa’s quarters reading a book from Kaiya’s backpack and listening to a CD.  I also found something in her bag called “Hershey’s Chocolate” which tasted fantastic.  I wish I had more time with her to ask more about Earth culture, but this was enough.  I would always look back at her drawing of Earth and smile.  Even if Earth wasn’t my home, she was.  I could tell Nappa felt the same way.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two of us were called to Frieza’s throne room the day after his return, expecting a new purge mission.  We had no reason to believe he knew.  We received punishment upon entry.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?!” he screeched.  “You are fools to believe I wouldn’t have you being watched, you disgraceful monkeys!”  He turned to Zarbon after beating us.  “I want you to search their quarters.  Remove and destroy anything of the Earth girl’s and check their drawers for the two missing files.”  He turned back to us.  “Dodoria will follow through with Nappa’s punishment and I will personally see to yours, Vegeta.  But first, damage control.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A woman with blonde hair showed up out of nowhere and was introduced to us as a Mind Wipe.  Apparently she was of a breed of alien that could erase memories of those at a distance.  I knew what was coming.  Our memories of Kaiya were going to be erased, as well as Kaiya’s memories of us.  Frieza even mentioned something about erasing the minds of those close to Kaiya, like her mother I was guessing, so that no one remembered the days she was missing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Both of our memories were erased, mine and Nappa’s.  Soon we had no idea why we were being punished.  Frieza took me somewhere on the ship I had never been to before…a dungeon, maybe?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was pitch black and I couldn’t see anything.  I was chained to wall and left there...an isolation chamber, any Saiyan’s, or human’s, worst nightmare.  This is where I slowly succumbed to insanity for the months I was locked away.</em>
</p><p>“This guy is an ass,” Yusuke growled out.  “How could he do that to a person…Saiyan…thing?  This is just nuts.”</p><p>Hiei was still trying to reign in his anger at both Jiro and this Frieza guy.  The fact that he was so cold-hearted, to separate two siblings for some bizarre fear he might have had of their race.  If the lizard was still alive today, Hiei would have loved to use the same sword he used to kill Kaiya’s father to skin the tyrant alive.  Maybe that would settle his bloodlust at the moment.</p><p>“Guys, unfortunately, it’s not over,” Kuwabara said pointing to the monitor.  “I think his thoughts are continuing four years later…”</p><p>“What?” Hiei asked in shock.  He listened to hear what his girlfriend’s apparent brother had to say.</p><p>
  <em>My twentieth birthday came and went, not like there was anything to celebrate…we were purging yet another planet.  I hated the world around me and everyone in it.  After a few months to a year in isolation, I went crazy and tried to hurt myself and others a few times.  Nappa and Raditz helped me to get back to my old self; however, that would never happen.  Four more years of torture and I was ready to surrender.  I became the person I hated and, like Frieza, became a ruthless killer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Things became tiresome and we were no longer working fast enough for Frieza, leading to more punishments.  It was then that Raditz remembered his brother, Kakarot, being sent to planet Earth…a planet which the name sounded so familiar.  We decided to set a course for Earth.  I went to my room on Frieza’s ship to pack a few essentials and found something under the bed that I could not remember.  It was a drawing of a blue and green sphere.  On the back it said “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.”</em>
</p><p>“So…he really did come to Earth,” Kuronue stated.  “Do you think he really was behind the attack on that city, Kurama?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Kurama stated.  “Nor would I blame him.  It’s clear to me that his actions were determined by that sadistic tyrant he was forced to work for.  I could never hold it against him.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Yusuke agreed.  “So what do we do about Kaiya?  We can’t just drop this huge bombshell on her.”</p><p>“I agree with Urameshi,” Kuwabara said in a rush.  “I mean, her getting over Jiro was bad enough. What if she finds out her brother was a killer?”</p><p>Hiei shot Kuwabara a look, but before he could retort, they heard Kaiya speak up.  “I already know,” she said, her eyes looking as shocked as theirs were.</p><p>“You…you know?  How?” Yusuke asked.</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  “My powers activated and connected our minds while I was under.  I have his memories and he has mine,” she explained.  “I’ve seen everything.”</p><p>“Kaiya…” Hiei tried.  But Kaiya put a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“It doesn’t mean he’s a bad person, though,” she said in reassurance.  Hiei and her brother were not all that different, and the fire demon was probably afraid of how she’d react to him too after seeing so much pain another caused.</p><p>“Kaiya, we don’t know that,” Kuronue stated.  “I mean, I’m all for those who reform, but this guy still has a bad attitude towards people.  If he knows about you, we don’t know if he’d hurt you.  It’s not him, but the fact that he lost his sanity for a time draws a red flag in my book.”</p><p>Kaiya frowned.  She knew Kuronue and Kurama would see it that way.  They had reformed, but they had never killed their comrades (though Kurama had blinded one of his).  From what Kaiya could see, Vegeta had snapped during a fight on Earth and killed his most trusted friend.  But what she also saw, now at least, was that he regretted his actions.  He was alone, or at least he felt that way.</p><p>The she gasped as she remembered something.  “But he wouldn’t hurt me,” she told them.  She was met with a few confused stares.  “I’m serious, you guys.  I know, because I saw him.”</p><p>“You…you saw him?” Kuwabara asked.  “When?”</p><p>“Earlier today,” Kaiya said with a smile.  “At the beach…but I didn’t remember him.  He just felt familiar, and I waved.  He just glared at me and left.  If he wanted to hurt me, he would have, especially when he didn’t remember who I was.”</p><p>“You don’t know what he was thinking,” Yusuke pointed out.  “Unless you decided to use your telepathy then, you have no clue if he was plotting you death or not.”</p><p>“What’s wrong with you?” Hiei snapped at Yusuke.  “Just because the guy has killed before does NOT mean he would ever hurt his little sister.”</p><p>“You mean like you?” Yusuke asked Hiei.  “Come on, Hiei.  It’s a different story between you and Yukina.”  After the words left his mouth, Yusuke instantly regretted it as everyone looked wide-eyed at him.  “I mean…Kaiya help.”</p><p>Kaiya held up her hands.  “Oh ho, not a chance.  You’re on your own on this one.”</p><p>Hiei hand his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to kill.  “You’ve been driving me crazy all night, detective, but you just crossed a line.”</p><p>“Wait, shrimp,” Kuwabara said in shock.  “Your Yukina’s long-lost twin brother?”</p><p>“Kuwabara, you don’t want to be in here for this,” Kuronue pointed out, grabbing the human to get him out of the room.</p><p>“Hiei, don’t destroy the mind scanner,” Kurama said with a sigh.  “Yusuke, good luck.”</p><p>“You guys suck,” Yusuke whined.</p><p>“Yeah, well you’re an idiot,” Kaiya said narrowing her eyes at him.  “You need a good ass kicking right now, anyway?”</p><p>And then the door was shut, and Yusuke was left alone with an angry Hiei.  Yeah, he had screwed up big time.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was pacing in his room.  At least he knew that he wouldn’t be having nightmares, or if he did, he probably wouldn’t be blowing anymore holes in the walls.  Right now all he wanted to do was ring Frieza’s neck for causing him to forget someone so important.  Kaiya was definitely important, or he wouldn’t have risked everything to save her.</p><p>The girl on the beach, she resembled the little girl so much.  It had to have been her.  He was in the same city as his sister, looked her in the eye, and he hadn’t known it.  And he treated her horribly, growling at her with the intent of murder.  And if he had seen her memories, then she had seen his.  What if the little girl that placed such blatant trust in him was gone?  He couldn’t possibly blame her if she wanted nothing to do with him.  She already had one evil relative, at least, and he had felt her pain in her memories.  He would not want to cause the same problems for her.</p><p>“Hey, Vegeta,” he heard Bulma call from the other side of his door.  The Saiyan halted in his pacing.  “Do you want to talk?”</p><p>Vegeta scowled.  Talk, talk, talk…did all of these Earthlings like to talk?  Vegeta went to his door and nearly tore it opened.  He was enraged, and it made Bulma jump back.  “I do NOT want to talk,” he shouted before slamming the door in her face.</p><p>Bulma sighed and realized that he needed a little time to process all of this.  Honestly, she didn’t know how he’d be able to.  It wasn’t every day you found out you had a sibling, not to mention one that he was so attached to.  She was finally starting to see why the Saiyan prince frowned upon attachments.  The Frieza guy everyone hated seemed to destroy any ounce of happiness those attachments could bring.</p><p>Sighing again, Bulma went back to the living room to pack up the mind scanning prototype.  She’d have to bring it back to her dad’s office the next day.  At least she could tell him that it did work, though she still didn’t understand the full picture.  Maybe he’d have some insight on it tomorrow.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya was happy to see that her room had not been incinerated in Hiei’s anger.  The other guys had left earlier, dragging an injured Yusuke from her room.  Honestly, the detective got off easily for the damage he had caused that night.  No doubt Kuwabara would haunt Hiei until he told Yukina.  Kaiya was all for him finally telling his sister the truth, but forcing him to do it was not the way.</p><p>Hiei came into the room after unleashing some more energy outside.  Kaiya turned to face him, smiling sadly at him.  He took her hand and the two of them sat down on her bed, both sighing in frustration.  He looked at her, expecting to see judgment, but there was nothing but understanding lighting her eyes.</p><p>“Well, I guess everyone will get what they want,” Hiei muttered.  “The fool is demanding I tell her, or he will.”</p><p>“He’s such a moron,” Kaiya retorted.  Hiei looked shocked at her uncharacteristic insult.  “I mean really…does he not get that it’s a sore subject for you?  I understand that you have your fears of rejection and, where I think that they’re misplaced, I would never force you to do anything you weren’t comfortable with.”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “I don’t know how to even start,” Hiei growled out.</p><p>“Yukina won’t be mad at you, you know,” Kaiya pointed out.  Hiei just stared at her with an irritated blankness.  “I’m serious.  She’s very sweet and caring.  Actually, she came over today because she was worried with everyone talking about me having trouble.  She wanted to heal me.”</p><p>“Yukina stopped by?” Hiei asked, his expression softening completely.</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  “Then she came to class with me and I brought her back to Genkai’s.  She seemed to have fun when she wasn’t trying to snap me out of my memories.  You know, she really likes animals.”</p><p>Hiei smirked.  “I know…um, thanks…” he said awkwardly.</p><p>“For?” Kaiya asked with a quirked brow.</p><p>“For spending time with my sister,” Hiei clarified.  “It means a lot that you two get along.”</p><p>Kaiya sucked in a breath of air, nervous all of a sudden.  Hiei looked to her, confused by her hesitation.  “Would you…would you get to know my brother if I decided to go and meet him?” she asked nervously, playing with the tail she had kept hidden.</p><p>Hiei hid his shock at seeing her tail, not wanting to startle her further.  “That depends…” Hiei stated.  “As long as he is good to you, I see no reason not to.  In all honesty, I think I’d get along with him.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled slightly and nodded.  “I think so, too.  He was very nice to me, at least back then.”  She looked over to Hiei, determination burning in her eyes.  “I want to find him.”</p><p>“Hn, we won’t have to go far,” Hiei told her.  Kaiya tilted her head in confusion.  “We saw…well, heard him at Capsule Corp. where Kuwabara borrowed the mind scanning thing.  He’s living with the daughter of the man who owns the company.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Kaiya asked.  “Then there’s a chance I’ll see him again?  Not just a passing chance on the beach?”</p><p>“Yes,” Hiei replied.</p><p>Kaiya lied down in her bed with a smile on her face.  Closing her eyes, she whispered, “I’d like that.”</p><hr/><p>The next morning, Bulma brought the mind scanner back to her dad’s office.  She found him looking at the other mind scanning unit.  Finally, her father looked up at her.  “Oh, hello Bulma.  What can I do for you?”</p><p>She placed the unit down on his desk.  “I kind of borrowed this last night for Vegeta,” Bulma told him.  “He was having nightmares associated with blocked memories.  The device worked well, though I actually got to see the scenes play out.  The wavelength readings disappeared.”</p><p>“Hm, very strange,” the doctor said.  “But not surprising.”</p><p>“What do you mean, dad?” Bulma asked.</p><p>“Well, you know the intern I hired?” Dr. Briefs asked without waiting for a response.  “Well, a friend of his, some girl, had a similar problem and he offered to test the scanner on her last night and he had a similar story.  The memories were a scene, seen from the eyes of another individual.”</p><p>Bulma gasped.  “Who?”</p><p>“He didn’t say,” Dr. Briefs continued.  “I could tell from the look on his face that there was a lot more he wasn’t telling me.  When I asked him his theory on what happened, he said he thought he left his stove on at home and left.  It was obvious he was just trying to avoid the question.  Anyways, I’ll have to look into it more, later.  At least I know they work.”</p><p>“Um, sir,” a secretary came in as he set the units aside.  “There’s a girl and an ill-mannered boy here.  The guy is demanding to see you, without an appointment.”</p><p>“Whatever for?” Dr. Briefs asked skeptically.</p><p>“I don’t even know, sir,” the woman replied.  “Would you like me to have security handle them?”</p><p>“Wait!” Bulma cried out, earning her some very confused stares.  “Let them up.  I’ll meet with them.”</p><p>Bulma didn’t know why, but for some reason, she felt like meeting the two strangers.  It could have been because she felt so off since the previous night, learning of the life Vegeta came from.  Maybe she was going crazy from all of the things she saw.  But maybe these two people would provide answers for her.  What did she have to lose?</p><p>The secretary brought Kaiya and Hiei into the outer office, and Bulma gasped when she saw the girl.  She was the spitting image of her younger self, the only difference was that she was a young woman.  “Please, sit down Kaiya,” Bulma said.</p><p>Kaiya, in turn, gasped.  “You…you know my name?” she asked shyly.  Hiei narrowed his eyes at Bulma, not sure whether or not to trust her.</p><p>Bulma motioned to the two chairs across from her father’s office desk.  This was going to be a long day.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta knew he was alone at the compound.  The woman had gone to her father’s office to return the device that assisted him in getting his memories back.  Most likely she would be out all day.  Her mother was out shopping for the day as well.  Alone, in the quiet compound fending for himself, was how Vegeta liked it.  That way he wouldn’t be asked any questions, and he would be able to figure out a way to find Kaiya.  He probably wouldn’t find her at the beach again.  Should he even try to find her at all?  He still wasn’t sure if she’d accept him.  Still, the girl had a right to know what happened to her.</p><p>The Saiyan prince walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge to rummage for some food.  He tensed after reaching into the cold ice box, sensing someone else was in the compound and standing right behind him.  Vegeta turned around swiftly, completely on guard and ready for any oncoming attacks, but he was met with none.  Instead, the prince was shocked to see the same girl from yesterday, his sister, standing across from him.  She was staring at him nervously, not with fear, playing with her hair and tail curling around her body.</p><p>He dropped his guard, just staring at her with his stern, but blank expression, one of the many expressions she had come to know on that ship.  Kaiya walked over to him slowly, tears starting to form in her eyes.  Vegeta was waiting to be slapped, or scolded for his past crimes, and since she was his sister, he would allow it this once and watch her leave.</p><p>He was surprised again when the young girl wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest as she began to cry.  His eyes widened as he realized that not only did she accept him, but she still was willing to get this close to him.  That blatant trust that she had in him, the faith that he wouldn’t harm her, was still present in the girl’s heart.  Vegeta couldn’t help but place his hands on her arms.  He wasn’t returning her hug, but it had the same effect as Kaiya started laughing through her tears.</p><p>In the other room, Bulma and Hiei were watching the reunion, keeping very quiet except for the fact that Bulma was tearing up and sniffling, wiping her eyes with a tissue.  “It’s just so great,” she whispered to Hiei.  “After this long, they’re finally reunited.”  Hiei just nodded, and Bulma looked over to him when he didn’t give a verbal response.  “Aren’t you happy for them?”</p><p>Hiei glared at her for the insinuation that he wasn’t.  “Of course I am.  It’s just making me rethink some of my own family matters.”</p><p>“Meaning?” Bulma pressed.</p><p>Hiei growled at the inquisitive human.  She was even nosier than the detective and the fool.  “Let’s just say my view on keeping secrets has changed.  That is all you will get out of me, human.”</p><p>If Bulma hadn’t met aliens and been to other planets, that remark would have gotten to her, but she knew not to judge someone based on their appearance.  Chances were they were a powerful alien with the power to destroy.  Now, though, as she looked at Vegeta, she didn’t see a man who wanted to destroy.  She saw a man that would do anything for his little sister, and that was the one thing she would never forget.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 4 - Bonding Moments</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own YYH, DBZ, or the characters.  Just my OCs</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A week had passed, and the whole time, when Kaiya wasn’t in class and Vegeta wasn’t in training, the two of them got together to get to know each other and train together.  Vegeta had a different fighting style than Kaiya was used to.  She was starting to realize why she wasn’t as strong a fighter as she wanted to be.  She was always on the defensive.  Vegeta was always on the offensive, but she could tell he still went easy on her.</p><p>“Why do you always defend?” Vegeta asked her one day when they were taking a break.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Kaiya asked with a tilt of her head.</p><p>“You never come after me full force,” he told her.</p><p>“I could say the same with you for me,” Kaiya retorted.  Then she sighed and looked away with him.  “Did you ever have so much power, that you didn’t know if you’d be able to control it all if you went all out.”  Vegeta just looked to the girl, but said nothing as she continued.  “I’ve destroyed things, accidentally mind you, before I got control of certain abilities, and even now…I still can’t control them all.  Even with all the training and meditation, I’m still a danger to me and everyone around me.”  She looked back over to Vegeta, her expression seemed pensive.  “I don’t fight offensively because I can do enough damage just by defending myself.  That’s enough.”</p><p>Vegeta had never thought that way before in his life.  When your entire world was kill or be killed, holding back was not an option.  Kaiya’s world was not that much different from his, and since there worlds weren’t that different it only meant one thing.</p><p>Kaiya was in danger.</p><p>Vegeta hated thinking the worst regarding the girl, but it was the truth.  Her fear to fight would be a hindrance in her training.  It was something he would have to shake her from.  First, though, he would need to talk with those who have trained her before.  The only two people he knew were her boyfriend, Hiei, and a woman named Genkai.  If he met the woman, he’d most likely have to meet many more people, and part of him did not want to do that.</p><p>But what was he willing to put up with so that his sister could be safe?  He wouldn’t always be around, especially when he had always been planning on leaving Earth at some point.  Even if that idea was starting to change, he knew he would still need to travel into space at some point in his life.  He couldn’t exactly take her away from her life on Earth, and he wouldn’t even consider it with her training.  No, he would need to make sure she could protect herself in the future.  He needed to talk to her trainers.  They only question was how to get in touch with them.</p><p>“Hey Vegeta?”  Vegeta turned his head slightly to acknowledge his sister.  “My friends are having a party at our mentor, Genkai’s, tonight.”  She picked up her tail and started twirling it in her fingers, a nervous habit the girl seemed to pick up.  “I was wondering, I mean if you weren’t too busy, would you like to come?”</p><p>Vegeta thought about it for a moment, not fully understanding what a “party” was.  He had been to banquets aboard Frieza’s ship, and yet he had heard Bulma refer to the same type of event as a party once or twice, but Kaiya couldn’t have been talking about a formal get together.  At least, he didn’t think she was.</p><p>At his silence, Kaiya began to get nervous again and looked away.  “I mean, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.  It just would be nice to introduce you to my friends.”</p><p>“I’ll go,” Vegeta responded, not wanting the girl to feel bad about asking.</p><p>She looked over to him questioningly.  “You will?”  He could see the hope in her eyes, and he did not want to crush it.</p><p>“Of course,” Vegeta replied while looking into the water of the pond in the woman’s backyard.  Before he knew it, he was knocked down by Kaiya.  He had no idea why she just decided to randomly attack him like that, but after he fell over, he realized she was just giving him a hug.  Her eyes were closed and she had a smile on her face.</p><p>“Thank you, Geta,” she whispered as Vegeta placed one hand on her back to steady her.  Yes, things were stranger now that he had a sister to look after.</p><hr/><p>Bulma watched the scene from the kitchen, smiling at the fact that Vegeta was finally loosening up and showing someone that he cared about them.  It was strange seeing the once murderous Saiyan prince acting so gentle.  Actually, it was even stranger that he wasn’t as aggressive towards her too.  Ever since she had drugged him and helped unlock his memories, he was strangely kind towards her, or as close to kind as Vegeta would get.  He still demanded training equipment and food, leaving no room for argument, but he wouldn’t fight her in anything but sport now.  It was almost as if he was thankful to her, but she wouldn’t point that out.</p><p>Kaiya seemed very nice to Bulma.  It was hard to believe that there was another Saiyan like Goku with a genuine mirth and naivety despite the crazy things she had seen.  The only difference from Goku was that she seemed to have a fear or many things, irrational things, and was not as inclined to fight unless need be.  Bulma was surprised that Vegeta was so patient with her.</p><p>There was something about this whole thing, though, that bothered Bulma.  She had remembered Vegeta constantly saying that he was here for two purposes: to train and to eventually kill Goku before returning to space.  With Kaiya being here, was that still his plan?  Bulma had spoken with Kaiya a handful of times, and Kaiya really wanted to meet Goku.  Not only that, but the girl, despite accepting that her brother had killed for a career, was against killing period.  Could Vegeta, knowing this, still go through with his plans, and if he did, how would his sister react to that?</p><p>Bulma didn’t notice that another entered her home.  She heard someone clear their throat and nearly jumped out of her skin.  She turned around to see Hiei standing there with his arms crossed.  She nearly laughed at how similar the demon’s expression was to Vegeta’s on a good day.  “Oh, hello Hiei,” Bulma greeted.  “Good to see you again.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei responded. “I’m here to pick up Kaiya.  We have somewhere to be.”</p><p>“Um, okay,” Bulma replied.  “They’re outside right now.”  She pointed out the window.  Hiei narrowed his eyes at her.  “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Do you make it a habit of watching others without their knowledge?” Hiei asked her, his glare not leaving his face.</p><p>Bulma was about to snap at the boy, but then she realized his fists were clenched, and looking past the glare, she could see worry.  The fire demon seemed to be incredibly protective of his girlfriend.</p><p>Bulma smiled and decided to answer him.  “It’s just nice watching how he interacts with her,” she explained.  “I don’t have any siblings, and the two of them had no idea about each other.  The bond they have…it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.”</p><p>“If I were you, I would not let them know you have been watching,” Hiei offered.  “Kaiya would not care.  Vegeta, on the other hand, would not be happy being spied on.”</p><p>Hiei didn’t give her a chance to answer before he starting walking out into the yard.  Both Kaiya and Vegeta heard his footsteps on turned to face him.  Kaiya smiled, having sensed it was him, but Vegeta looked more guarded.  Hiei noticed so he steered clear of him and went over to Kaiya, offering her his hand.</p><p>“We need to start heading to Genkai’s,” he said softly.  “You ready to go?”</p><p>“Uh huh,” Kaiya said like an excited child, accepting his outstretched hand.  “And guess what.  Vegeta said he’d come with us.  Isn’t that great?”</p><p>Hiei looked over to Vegeta who was glaring daggers at him.  Hiei just forced a smirk for Kaiya’s sake and said, “Yes.  Everyone will be happy to officially meet him.”</p><p>“Why are you talking about me as if I weren’t here?” Vegeta scoffed.  “You need to learn to respect the Prince of All Saiyans.”</p><p>Hiei just looked at Vegeta blankly.  “I wasn’t ignoring you,” Hiei told him.  “I was just having a conversation with your sister.  She’s been talking about inviting you all week.”</p><p>Vegeta just looked shocked as he looked at his sister who was beaming at him.  He inwardly cringed, not being used to being adored by anyone.  Even with his memories of Kaiya as a child, she had this light in her eyes that couldn’t be extinguished when she looked at him.  She knew his past, his crimes, and the horrors he wrought on the universe.  Vegeta expected rejection, but was met with acceptance.  Even when she accepted him, he expected her to be wary of him, but she requested to spend time with him, talking or training.  She saw the way he trained, and he expected her to fear him, but she just tried harder to keep up with him.  He had never had someone attempt to get to know him despite his transgressions, and allow themselves to care for him wholeheartedly.  And now she wanted him to meet her friends and include him in her life even more, to be a part of it.  It was strange to him because he had never had that treatment before, and he wasn’t sure he wanted it.</p><p>He was about to take back his acceptance of her invitation when she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.  “Come on,” Kaiya chimed.  “Let’s go!  It’s a pretty long drive, and I do NOT like being in the car for long.”</p><p>Vegeta sweat-dropped, also not liking small, confined spaces from what Frieza had done to him.  Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he reluctantly followed Kaiya and Hiei to her car.  He saw that it was some small SUV as the woman would have called it.  It was more enclosed that he would have hoped.</p><p>“Hiei, you don’t mind sitting in the back, right?” Kaiya asked, knowing her brother had an issue with claustrophobia like her.</p><p>Hiei shrugged.  “I don’t mind.  Just as long as you don’t play the dolphin noises again.”</p><p>“Deal,” Kaiya said with a smirk, “but then that means it’s a Bon Jovi car ride.”</p><p>“Oh God,” Hiei muttered under his breath, though he had a smile on his face.  Vegeta caught it, but didn’t understand what either of them was talking about.</p><p>Hiei got into the back of the car and lounged like he normally did in trees and windowsills.  Vegeta just rolled his eyes at the boy.  He didn’t know how he felt about his sister’s boyfriend.  He didn’t really know anything about him.  In his mind, he was just some guy unworthy of his sister’s affections, but he would never know until he swallowed his pride and speak to him about anything.  First and foremost, he needed to understand Kaiya’s training.  Then he could train her more effectively and appropriately.</p><p>“Vegeta?” he heard Kaiya call him from the driver’s seat.  She had put the windows of the car down and was staring at him with worry in her green eyes.  “You okay?”</p><p>Vegeta mentally groaned, not used to this kind of attention.  “I’m fine.  You need to stop asking me that, kid.”</p><p>Kaiya froze and narrowed her eyes at Vegeta.  “What did you call me?” she asked in irritation.</p><p>Vegeta smirked at the girl.  He hadn’t really ever seen her irritated, and he was actually quite amused by her reaction.  “You heard me, kid.”</p><p>Hiei opened one of his eyes and closed it again.  “You might not want to piss a fire demon off before she drives.  She’s had problems with road rage and lighting cars on fire.”</p><p>Kaiya’s angered expression immediately turned to one of embarrassment.  “That was ONE time, and it was before I learned to control my abilities…so not fair.”</p><p>Hiei just chuckled and Vegeta glared at him.  He thought it was disrespectful for Hiei to say anything about Kaiya.  But his reaction changed when Kaiya said, “That’s okay.  I’ll just start out with your least favorite Bon Jovi song.”</p><p>Hiei’s eyes shot open and he sat up just as quickly.  “You wouldn’t,” he growled.</p><p>“Living on a Prayer, coming up,” Kaiya said fooling around with her iPod.</p><p>Hiei groaned and fell back onto the seat.  “Just kill me now.”</p><p>Vegeta quirked his brow as he got into the vehicle, looking around it curiously.  Then out of nowhere, music started blasting.  Vegeta cringed at the volume and noticed Hiei through the mirror doing the same thing.  But when Kaiya started singing along to the music with a smile on her face, Hiei’s face softened and he seemed to focus just on her voice.  Vegeta looked between the two, utterly confused by the effect they seemed to have on one another.  It made no sense to him at all, but that was probably because he had never had any type of relationship in the past.  Vegeta looked back to Kaiya once he decided to drop his wonderings on her relationship, for now, and realized that he too enjoyed seeing her so free.  Then something else hit him.</p><p>“Why are the windows opened?” he asked her.  Every time he had been in an Earthling vehicle or building, windows were always closed.  Sometimes it made him feel trapped.</p><p>“I like how the wind feels,” Kaiya told him.  “Also, when they’re closed I feel kind of trapped.  I don’t like feeling trapped.”</p><p>Vegeta definitely remembered that.  He would never forget her panicked expression from when she realized she was in the regeneration tank.  That look of fear would always haunt him.</p><p>“Right,” he muttered before looking out the window, studying the various streets and buildings before they left the city and headed towards the wilderness.</p><hr/><p>“Hey, what the heck took you guys so long?” a black-haired teen Kaiya introduced as Yusuke said as a greeting.  Vegeta just narrowed his eyes at the boy.  Yusuke seemed to be oblivious to his silent threat.  “Kaiya, I haven’t seen you since the mind scanning night thing.  How’ve you been?”</p><p>Kaiya just laughed and rolled her eyes.  “Yusuke, you’re an idiot,” she teased.</p><p>“Hey, I resent that,” he retorted feigning hurt.  Kaiya just laughed at his antics, and Vegeta was in shock by how laid back the girl seemed with her friends.  “And hey, what happened to miss stick-up-her-“</p><p>“Yusuke!” another girl yelled.  “Don’t talk to her that way!”</p><p>Yusuke rolled his eyes.  “Oh come on, Keiko.  You know she’s as bad as you when it comes to school work, if not worse.”</p><p>“Get over it,” Kaiya mumbled wryly before seeing two others.  “Lexi, Maya, I didn’t know you two were coming.”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t we be, sis?” Mayonaka asked.  Vegeta was shocked.  Kaiya had a twin sister, though Vegeta knew he had no relation to her.  It made Vegeta wonder why Kaiya was targeted and not her sister.  Nothing made sense about the situation anyway, so he shouldn’t even be surprised by another unexplained coincidence..</p><p>“Hey, Kuronue told me what happened,” Alexia said walking up to Kaiya.  “I’m really, really sorry about Jiro and what he did, and then what you had to go through…just wow, Kaiya.  Now I understand why you seemed to develop a ton of fears after your disappearance, and why you couldn’t remember any of it.”</p><p>“Who knew there were so many freaks out there?” Mayonaka continued.  “And our father just had to be one of them.”</p><p>“Please, Maya…let’s not even talk about it,” Kaiya pleaded.  “It’s supposed to be a party.  We are supposed to be relaxing and celebrating.  Vegeta.”  She looked over to her brother with big eyes, yet again, and he found himself obliging to her silent request.  He walked over to her, keeping a blank expression as he walked up to the two girls.  “Guys, this is Vegeta.  He’s my brother.”</p><p>“Yeah, Kuronue mentioned that too,” Alexia stated.  Mayonaka and Kaiya both smirked at her.  “What?”</p><p>“For a spy that hates thieves and had issues with Kuronue, you seem to spend a lot of time with him,” Mayonaka lightly teased.</p><p>Alexia blushed and smacked both Kaiya’s and Mayonaka’s shoulders.  Vegeta didn’t like his sister being struck, but when the girl just laughed along with her twin, he didn’t see Alexia as a threat.</p><p>“Hiei!”  Everyone went silent when they heard Kuwabara call the fire demon’s name.</p><p>“Ugh, what does he want, now?” Hiei muttered.</p><p>“He’s probably about to threaten you into tell Yukina the truth again,” Alexia stated.</p><p>Hiei’s eyes widened and he glared over at the girl.  “How the hell do you know about that?” he asked.</p><p>“It’s a very long story, Hiei,” Alexia explained.  “I wasn’t told by anyone exactly.  I kind of just overheard Kurama and Kuronue discussing it.”</p><p>“Where are they, by the way?” Kaiya asked, looking around.</p><p>“Tending Genkai’s garden,” Mayonaka replied.  “She asked Kurama to, and Kuronue volunteered to help him out.”</p><p>“Makes sense,” Kaiya replied before Yusuke pulled her away to play a video game.</p><p>“What are they doing?” Vegeta asked Hiei, not understanding why the girl was playing with some type of strange controller.</p><p>“It’s a game,” Hiei answered.  “It’s a fighting game.  Humans use it as a form of entertainment.”</p><p>“You suck at this game, Kaiya,” Yusuke taunted playfully.  Vegeta looked over and glared at the boy who was still oblivious to it, or at least didn’t react.  He shouldn’t talk to the Princess of Saiyans like that especially when it came to fighting.  Growling under his breath, Kaiya spoke up.</p><p>“Oh shut up, Yusuke,” Kaiya laughed.  “You know I get no practice during the semester.  If I would be able to play more, I’d beat you.”</p><p>“Oh really?” Yusuke countered.  “Because I think Kuwabara is a better challenge than you are.”</p><p>Kaiya paused the game and blinked over at Yusuke.  Vegeta was waiting to see her destroy the disrespectful boy, though part of him knew she would never do that.</p><p>“Them’s fightin’ words,” Alexia said in a joking manner.</p><p>“Yes, I did hear a challenge in there,” Kaiya agreed.  “Yusuke, are you challenging me?”</p><p>“You bet your ass I am,” the spirit detective replied, still causing Vegeta’s blood to boil.</p><p>“Okay, new fight,” Kaiya said.  “I’m using a different character.”</p><p>“Alright,” Yusuke said.  “Best two out of three.”</p><p>The two went back to playing the game, and, even though Kaiya put up a decent fight, she still lost.  “Good game,” Yusuke said.  “See, even though you’re out of practice, you still have some good moves.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  “At least if I were to go down, I went down fighting.”</p><p>Vegeta’s eyes widened.  This fight, he insults, it was a way to push Kaiya to do better.  Maybe that was how they all trained?  It didn’t seem to be the most effective to him, but it kept this hodgepodge group of fighters motivated to train. </p><p>After hearing Kuwabara call for him again, Hiei growled and said, “Let Kaiya know I went to deal with an annoyance.”  With that, Hiei left the room.  At that point another girl entered the room.</p><p>“Yukina!” Kaiya exclaimed, drawing Vegeta’s attention back to her.  He saw his sister hugging some young-looking girl.</p><p>“Hello, Kaiya,” the girl greeted warmly, though the room did drop a few degrees as she entered.  “Are you feeling any better from last week?  I was really worried when you zoned out in your class.”</p><p>“Yes, I’m much better,” Kaiya assured her, putting her hands on the girl’s shoulders.  “I figured out what was wrong with me, but I’ll tell everyone when Botan gets here and the boys come back inside.”  She looked around the room and asked, “Where’s Hiei?”</p><p>Vegeta just scoffed at the message he was given.  “The boy said he had to take care of something.  I don’t know what.”</p><p>Yukina looked over to Vegeta and then back to Kaiya.  “Who is that?” she asked the girl innocently.  It almost made Vegeta’s cold heart melt.  This girl seemed to act like Kaiya when she was a child, that blatant trust and kindness, that warm voice with innocent undertones despite what she had seen.  Vegeta was not one to get lost in memories of joy, but right now he was fighting to keep the smile off his face.</p><p>Just then, Hiei and another boy much taller than him came into the room.  The redhead’s face went from angered to cheerful the instant he laid eyes on the blue-haired girl.  “Yukina!” he exclaimed in a dramatic fashion before running over to her and fawning over her with so much attention.  The young girl smiled and giggled at the boy’s actions, and Vegeta noticed the look of sheer displeasure on Hiei’s face.  It was the same look that Vegeta had given to the fire demon earlier.  Hiei did not deem that boy worthy to be with the girl, but Vegeta had no idea why Hiei should be concerned when he was dating his sister.</p><p>He noticed how concerned Kaiya looked and was worried that maybe she too was nervous about Hiei’s attention to the girl.  She walked over to the fire demon and pulled him out of the room to talk.  Vegeta decided to follow, worried about his sister and her supposed boyfriend.  He didn’t trust him.</p><hr/><p>“Well, what did you tell Kuwabara?” she asked Hiei with all the concern.</p><p>“I told him he’s free to ‘date’ her, or whatever you humans like to say, provided he allows me to tell her in my own time,” Hiei growled.  He hated giving his permission like that, especially to someone so weak in his eyes.  He felt his sister deserved better, but that would be for her to decide.</p><p>“Hiei, when are you going to tell Yukina he truth?” Kaiya asked.  Vegeta was listening in and was growing increasingly curious by this whole thing.</p><p>Hiei sighed.  “I don’t know, Kaiya.  I just don’t know,” he told her while shaking his head in frustration.  “I can’t bring myself to tell her.  She’ll hate me for keeping it from her all this time.  I told her I’d find her brother…lied to her face.  If I told her that I was her brother now…she’d never forgive me.”</p><p>Vegeta’s eyes widened when he heard the confession.  No wonder Hiei was glaring at the redhead like he had been at him earlier.  It seemed to Vegeta that he and Hiei had more in common than he thought.</p><p>“Okay, first off, I’m serious when I keep telling you that Yukina wouldn’t hate you,” she chided.  “She understands, especially because of how your people treated you.  Do you honestly think she’ll care about your past?  You did what you had to in order to survive.  She won’t hold it against you.”</p><p>“Just because you don’t hold anything against Vegeta, it doesn’t mean Yukina won’t hate me forever,” he replied, sitting against the wall and sliding down to the ground.  Kaiya followed suit and put her hand on his.</p><p>“Believe me when I say this,” Kaiya started.  “Yukina will accept you, no matter what.  The bond between a brother and sister is so special.  Besides, the girl is incapable of hate.  You know this.  If anything, I could only imagine her crying tears of joy the moment you tell her.”</p><p>“I’d rather her not cry at all,” Hiei grumbled.  “I hate that she was kidnapped for her tears.”</p><p>“Yes, and you all saved her,” Kaiya reminded her.  “You’ve always been there for her, and you’ve sacrificed so much to keep her safe.  I would tell her.  The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be for you to even consider it.”</p><p>Hiei sighed again and leaned against Kaiya as some form of strange hug.  Kaiya smiled and put her arms around him.  Vegeta watched the scene unfold.  Maybe he was wrong about Hiei from his earlier behavior.  If anything, the boy acted as prideful and arrogant as he did to cover up the hurt or regret he felt from his past.  It was similar to how he felt at times.  Then he heard Hiei say something that caused him to leave the room.</p><p>“But I’m not worthy of her,” Hiei whispered.  “I’m barely worthy of you.”</p><p>Vegeta couldn’t take it anymore.  He and Hiei were too similar and the fire demon was confirming his beliefs about his worth towards his own sister.  He couldn’t bring himself to hear what his sister would have said to that.  He did not want her view on him to change, even if he felt he didn’t deserve it.</p><hr/><p>After a few minutes, Hiei and Kaiya came back into the room, both ignoring and enduring perverted comments from Yusuke about their whereabouts.  Kaiya rolled her eyes at the black-haired detective and took a seat next to Mayonaka.  Hiei walked up to Yukina and both the ice-maiden and Kuwabara were staring at him in confusion.</p><p>“Yukina, I need to talk to you,” Hiei stated, leaving no room for argument.  Yukina smiled at him and nodded, following him outside.</p><p>When they were out of earshot, Kurama and Kuronue came back inside both with confused expressions.  They looked to Kaiya who was just smiling brightly.  In fact everyone, including Vegeta, looked to her.</p><p>“Kaiya…” Kuwabara started cautiously.  “What exactly did you say to him?”</p><p>Kaiya just looked at him.  “Nothing you need to worry about,” she assured him.  Out of nowhere, they heard a shout of joy and looked outside to see Yukina hugging Hiei after she tackled him to the ground.  “Well, it looks like Yukina finally has her brother.”</p><p>An old woman walked up next to Vegeta.  He looked to her and realized that the woman was the old psychic who trained his sister.</p><p>“Your sister is an amazing person,” Genkai told him.  “Especially if she’s able to talk some sense into that thickheaded fire demon.  You needed to speak with me?”</p><p>“How did you-?” Vegeta began to ask before the woman held up her hand to stop him.</p><p>“I am not an idiot,” she told him.  “I’ve been around a long time, and I can already tell from what I’ve heard from the others that you are not the type of person to enjoy these kinds of parties.  Honestly, the only reason I put up with them is because usually they end up sparring and it’s a good way for them to stay on their game in case any new missions come up from them.”</p><p>“Hn, so they’re really spies?” Vegeta asked.</p><p>“Not really,” Genkai told him.  “Only Kaiya and Alexia were trained when they were children.  I have no idea how they attained those skills.  You want to know what I’ve taught Kaiya, right?”</p><p>Vegeta chuckled.  “You’re a perceptive human,” Vegeta taunted.  “But yes, I need to know the lengths of her training so I know where to go from there.”</p><p>“You wasted a trip,” Genkai told him, slightly angering Vegeta.  “I can’t tell you how to train her to fight.  I only taught her how to control her spirit energy.  That was all she needed to know at the time.  The only one who has taught her to fight is Hiei, and even he will not be able to tell you how they train.  What I can tell you is that Kaiya does not enjoy fighting.  She feels comfortable fighting with Hiei because they can communicate through their movements.  That’s how they developed their trust.”</p><p>“That will do her no good in the sense of true battling,” Vegeta scoffed.</p><p>“That is true,” Genkai said.  “She has been put through fights she is not ready for as of late, but, in her defense, she fights well considering that most of those she has fought are her relatives, or have threatened her family.  She will not fight back under those circumstances.”</p><p>“Why?” Vegeta asked the psychic in alarm.  “Did her father not try to kill her?”</p><p>“According to the dimwit,” she said pointing to Yusuke, “she was able to fight well against anyone that wasn’t her family.  Mayonaka fought her a long time ago, and she fought back, but both ended up in the hospital, still alive obviously.  Her father attacked her with a sneak attack.  Hiei was the one that took him out after Kaiya’s attack didn’t kill him.  She can fight and defend, but she cannot bring herself to kill, nor fight to the death with anyone.  Not alone.”</p><p>“She will not always have protection,” Vegeta stated.  “She will need to learn.”  He looked over to Genkai who was glaring at him.  “What, Earthling?” he growled.</p><p>“Even though she has graduated past my training, I still care for her wellbeing,” Genkai replied in anger.  “I have seen others like you, those who killed for a living.  Believe me; I slayed demons for a living.  You cannot force her to be a killer.  If you train her to fight more effectively, you better be damn sure not to push her past her comfort zone.  I may be old, but if I hear anything about her training being too aggressive, I WILL be able to kick your sorry ass without even breaking a sweat.”</p><p>Before Vegeta could shout at the woman for her disrespect, Kaiya walked over to them, and he remained silent.  “Hello, Master Genkai,” she said with a polite bow.  “It’s been awhile.”  Vegeta mentally slapped himself for allowing himself to be silenced.  His sister seemed to be some kind of tension breaker.</p><p>“Yes, it has,” Genkai said with a fond smile.  “How has school been?”</p><p>“Great!” Kaiya exclaimed.  “Just about made straight A’s this semester, and I’ve even been keeping up with my training.  Hiei didn’t let me slack, and lately I’ve been training with Vegeta.”</p><p>Vegeta froze when Kaiya lightly touched his shoulder.  The way she talked about him and introduced him to others was so unusual to him.  For the moment, the old lady’s threat disappeared from his mind.</p><p>“So, is Botan coming?” Kaiya asked.  “If not, I’d really like to formally introduce Vegeta to everyone.”</p><p>“No, it seems that Koenma has her running around for something,” Genkai explained.</p><p>“Oh dear God,” Kaiya grimaced.  “Don’t tell me there’s another mission heading our way.  I…I still haven’t dealt with everything from when we took on all those demon hunters.”</p><p>“I know, child,” Genkai said softly, understanding that Kaiya had definitely gone through more than the others on that mission.  “And no, nothing like that that I know of.  Just random Spirit World errands.”</p><p>“Well, okay,” Kaiya said with a smile.  She turned to Vegeta and tugged on his hand.  “Come on, let’s go.”</p><p>Vegeta was reluctant, but he stood up and walked over to her group of friends, Yukina and Hiei already interacting with the rest of the group.  “Okay,” Kaiya started, “most of you guys already know or know of what happened when I was nine.”  Yukina looked a little confused, but Hiei just squeezed her shoulder and told her he’d tell her later.  “Anyway, because of some recent events, I found out that I’m a Saiyan, pretty much an alien, which we all know Suki would love.”  Vegeta didn’t understand why everyone was laughing at that.  “I also found out that I have an older brother.”  Kaiya smiled when she saw Yukina’s excited expression.  “Everyone, this is my older brother, Vegeta.”</p><p>“And now that introductions are officially out of the way,” Yusuke said grinning like an idiot, “we can finally tell you the real reason for this party.”</p><p>Vegeta quirked his eyebrow in confusion.  “What are you talking about?”</p><p>“Well, it was Kaiya’s idea,” Kuwabara stated.  “It’s kind of like a ‘Welcome to Earth’ party.”</p><p>Vegeta was shocked and looked over to Kaiya who just nodded at him.  No one had ever done anything like this for him.  Any “parties” he had been to in the past were strictly political.  This party was a welcoming, a type of entertainment for everyone, a means to get to know one another, and she had done it for him.  On a planet where he wanted no attachments or connections, he was now given no choice.  He now had a sister, and she was trying to get him to become friends with her friends.  She wanted him to belong to their group.  That was something he did not want.</p><p>“I need to go,” Vegeta stated.  Before anyone could say anything, Vegeta disappeared from the room.  They heard a smashing sound, meaning Vegeta had decided to fly out of Genkai’s compound destruction style.</p><p>All the guys sighed and looked at Kaiya who looked slightly hurt, still staring at the spot Vegeta had been standing in.  “Kaiya?” Mayonaka tried.  “You okay?”</p><p>Kaiya regained her senses and forced a smile.  “Yeah, I’m okay.  Anyway, let’s eat.  I’m very hungry.”</p><p>“Sure, Kaiya,” Yusuke said.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta stormed into the compound and Bulma could only assume that something happened with his sister.  She could not, for the life of her, figure out what it was as Kaiya seemed like a nice and accepting girl.  The young Saiyan/demon hybrid seemed to take Vegeta as he was, not caring about his past transgressions.  “Hey Vegeta,” Bulma greeted as he began to stomp past her.  “How was your day with Kaiya?”</p><p>Vegeta, not in the mood to deal with anymore Earthlings and their strange habits or desire to talk, ignored her and went upstairs to his room.  When Bulma heard his door slam shut, she sighed.  “Well, I guess it went well,” she muttered sarcastically before returning to her magazine.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 5 - Mutual Understanding</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own YYH, DBZ, or the characters.  Just my OCs</p><p>Well, last time, Kaiya invited Vegeta to a party that happened to be his own welcoming party.  He didn’t know how to react to the kindness and abruptly left, leaving Kaiya to feel a sense of rejection.  And now we continue…</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Later that week, Kaiya still wasn’t feeling any better about how Vegeta left his party like that.  She wasn’t mad at him, but she was definitely mad at herself.  She shouldn’t have just dropped him in the middle of it with a bunch of strangers he didn’t know.  Kaiya just wanted him to feel included, welcomed, and wanted for once.  But, despite all of her good intentions, she had somehow hurt her brother and the guilt was eating her alive.</p><p>“You need to get out of here,” Hiei spoke up from behind her.  He was standing in the doorway of her room.</p><p>Kaiya looked over to him while sitting at her desk with sad eyes.  Hiei flinched a bit, hating seeing Kaiya in any type of distress, especially sadness.  Because of his mother’s and sister’s ability, he hated when women cried, whether their tears would become jewels or not.  Besides, she didn’t need to waste her tears on her brother, especially if he had rejected her which Hiei seriously doubted.  “Look,” he sighed, “Vegeta isn’t mad at you, nor did you hurt him.”  He was speaking from experience now.  “It is not an easy transition from being a hated killer to being loved by a family member or friend.  At first, it is hard to accept, especially when he had accepted it before and had it torn away by some freak who thrived on the pain of others.  If anything, he feels guilty, and feels he doesn’t deserve you.”</p><p>Kaiya was shocked.  Though she knew that was how Hiei had felt in his life, she never expected Vegeta to feel that way too.  Thankfully she had Hiei here to set her straight.  If she had gone another day without talking to Vegeta, he might have thought that she was rejecting him too.  “I need to go,” she said in a hurry.  “I’m way late for training today.  You can stay here, by the way.  I’m ordering wings later.”</p><p>Hiei smirked as his girlfriend sped out of her room and slammed the door to her house shut.  He sat down on her bed, lying back.  He had already decided to take her up on her offer, but for now, he was going to rest.  Trees could only be so comfortable, so he let himself drown in the feeling of having access to an actual bed.</p><hr/><p>Bulma was getting worried about Vegeta.  He had been short tempered ever since the day he had come back from spending time with his sister.  He had even started locking himself in his room or the GR, avoiding contact with anyone, unless he was bored.  When he was bored, he would go into the indoor garden and antagonize the Namekians.  Bulma couldn’t believe he was going out of his way to make them fear him again.  He had made such progress since Kaiya showed up.</p><p>When she had seen his memories, she felt that Kaiya would be good for him.  The girl would accept him, good and bad, and the heiress thought that he would learn to forgive himself too.  But even though she realized that it would take time, she felt like he was distancing himself from the girl.  Then something struck her.  She hadn’t seen Vegeta’s memories, only Kaiya’s, and he had been through so much since then.  He too had seen Kaiya’s memories, but he wouldn’t know how to react to them.  Bulma placed her head in her hands, shaking her head in sadness and frustration.  Part of her was glad that she hadn’t met Frieza in her life.  It seemed like the Arcosian tyrant lived for the “thrill” of causing others pain.  That was something an Earthling like Bulma would never understand.</p><p>A knock on the front door brought her out of her thoughts.  No one in the house was expecting anyone, nor were the workers permitted to come to the house for anything, at least until the Namekians were to leave.  Her family did not want anyone asking questions, nor did they want anyone to reveal the aliens to other scientists.  A little unsure about whoever this random visitor was, Bulma reluctantly got up from her spot on the couch to answer the door.</p><p>She was glad she did.  On the other side of the door stood Vegeta’s little sister, nervously twirling her tail.  “Um, hi,” she said meekly, refusing to make eye contact with Bulma.  The older woman could tell that the girl felt guilty about something.  “V-Vegeta wasn’t out in the GR,” she stated.  “I was hoping I could talk to him.  We really…we really need to talk.”</p><p>Bulma just smiled at her and step away from the door.  “Come on in, Kaiya,” she said warmly.  “You’re always welcome here.”</p><p>“Um, thank you,” Kaiya replied in a shyness that reminded Bulma about the day she had asked Vegeta to come and stay with her family.  He had been so quiet and refused to make eye contact with her the entire way there.  He had felt out of place for a long time until he set foot on the spaceship.</p><p>Kaiya was no different from her brother, looking around the place, feeling slightly misplaced.  Bulma smiled as she led the girl to the kitchen.  Kaiya’s quirked eyebrow and confusion reminded her so much of Vegeta.  “Take a seat,” Bulma instructed the girl.  “I was just about to dig into the cookies my mother made this morning.  You should try them.”</p><p>Kaiya visibly relaxed, even her tail giving her calm away.  Bulma silently wondered if she would understand Vegeta more if he still had his tail.  “Um, thanks, Miss Bulma.”</p><p>Bulma bit back a laugh and said, “Hey now, don’t you start with that.  You’re Vegeta’s sister, and if he isn’t formal with me, you definitely don’t have to be.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kaiya responded.  “Okay then…Bulma?”</p><p>“Much better,” the heiress replied, putting a dozen cookies on her plate and placing it in front of Kaiya.  Kaiya stared at the cookies with wide eyes.  “What’s wrong?  Do you not like chocolate chip?”</p><p>“It’s not that,” Kaiya said as if in awe.  “I have to eat all of those cookies?”  Bulma’s jaw nearly dropped.  She had never heard a Saiyan even think about turning down food.  “I mean…I don’t want to impose or anything.  This had to have made it so that you don’t get many.”</p><p>“Um, Kaiya, sweetie,” Bulma said cautiously, “do you know how much Saiyans eat?  My mother took into account that Vegeta lives here now, and so she made a couple hundred cookies in the last few days.  This is just a start for you, isn’t it?”</p><p>Kaiya’s eyes widened more, if that were even possible, before looking back at the cookies.  She had never eaten that many cookies in her life.  Well, she had once when she was little, but her mother had scolded her for it.  Kaiya always ate more than she should, in her opinion.  Her family was predominantly Italian, so everyone ate a lot.  She just assumed she was growing at the time, and would ignore her hunger.  “I…didn’t know,” she admitted.  “Does that mean I need to start eating more?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>Both Kaiya and Bulma jumped when they heard Vegeta’s voice.  They saw him standing in the kitchen doorway.  Bulma looked slightly worried, but Kaiya managed to smile.  “Hey, Vegeta,” she greeted warmly.</p><p>Vegeta was taken aback.  He thought for sure that Kaiya was mad at him, and that’s why she had missed their last three training sessions.  But now she was here, and Vegeta was once again confused by her actions.  He regained his composure, clearing his throat, and continued to berate her about her eating habits.  “A Saiyan requires a great deal of food to sustain their energy.  If not, they do not fight as efficiently and they could drain their energy pools a lot faster than others.”</p><p>“So that’s why I get tired all the time!” Kaiya exclaimed while standing up.  She noticed all eyes being on her and nervously sat back down.  “I mean, it explains a lot, especially with my fighting.  I get tired a lot quicker when I use my more potent attacks.  I just assumed it was too hard for me to sustain flames.  Had no idea it had to deal with my eating habits.”  Then her eyes widened in shock.  “Oh wow, and all I had yesterday was a small salad for lunch and a burger for dinner.”</p><p>Bulma was still taking in this new topic of discussion.  She had never met a Saiyan who would turn down food.  She couldn’t even imagine how this girl was still moving around or managed to train with Vegeta.  “Couldn’t you tell when you were hungry?” she asked.</p><p>“I…” Kaiya started nervously.  “Well, I eat snacks during the day when I can, but when I have classes, I rarely eat anything.  Like I said, I skipped breakfast yesterday. I got up a little later than I intended.”</p><p>Bulma nodded in understanding, remembering her college career.  “Okay, well here’s the thing, you need to eat way more than what you do eat in a day…like a hundred times more.”</p><p>“But how can I cook all of that?” Kaiya asked in alarm.  “I’m barely able to find time to cook now, let alone even having the money to get the few groceries I do get.”</p><p>“Well, for one,” Bulma said with a smile before Vegeta could say anything.  She wanted him to know there were other options for Kaiya before he said whatever he was going to say.  “You can come here for meals at times, and I’m sure my dad would be willing to give you a food allowance.”</p><p>“What?” Kaiya almost shouted.  “No, I couldn’t ask you for that.”</p><p>“You’re not asking; I’m offering.”</p><p>“But why?” Kaiya asked, her stress levels increasing.  Vegeta could hear the anxiety in her voice, and he too was confused by it.  “Why would you do this for me?  You don’t even know me.”  Vegeta relaxed, understanding just how the girl felt.  He hadn’t known how to react when Bulma invited him to reside in her home.</p><p>“Well, because you’re a friend now,” Bulma said, “and it’s very hard to keep a Saiyan fed.  We have it easier here because of the company, and Chi Chi, my best friend’s wife, is technically royalty, so she’s able to feed her husband and son.  And it won’t even make a dent in the money we have if you were to buy yourself extra food.  As for the cooking, I’ve been working on cooking bots.  My mother hates when I use them, so if you use them, it’ll be fine.”</p><p>“I…I don’t know what to say,” Kaiya said in a daze. “Th-thank you.”</p><p>“Think nothing of it,” Bulma said waving the girl off.  “And you don’t have to say anything.  Anyways, let me go get the bots packed up in a capsule and have my father set up the credit card.  I’ll have it ready before you leave.  I’ll catch you guys later.”</p><p>Bulma left both a stunned Kaiya and silent Vegeta in the kitchen.  The younger Saiyan looked over to Vegeta and decided to break the silence.  “Is she always like this…I mean with strangers?”</p><p>“Yes,” Vegeta told her while remembering Bulma’s hospitality towards him.  “It’s best to just agree to it or she’ll never shut up.”</p><p>“Oh, I see,” Kaiya replied.  Then she started to feel guilty again.  “Um, Vegeta?”</p><p>Vegeta forced back a sigh.  “What?” he grumbled out.</p><p>“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” Kaiya said in sadness, “by staying away I mean.  I thought you were mad at me and didn’t want to see me, so I stayed away in case I would only hurt you more.”</p><p>Vegeta felt the heart he had forgotten he had clench in his chest.  His little sister had spent days away from him, for his sake?  How could anyone disregard their own happiness and concerns for another person?</p><p>Picking up on the thought with her telepathy, Kaiya smiled.  “Because silly, you are one of my concerns.  You’re my brother, and I love you, so that means I worry about how you feel too.”</p><p>“Why?” Vegeta questioned, his voice heavy.  “I’ve done nothing to earn that.”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Kaiya asked lightheartedly.  “You’re here for me.  That’s all that matters to me.  Look, I’m not a stranger to feeling abandoned or lost, so when someone is there for me, it speaks more volumes than you could ever know.  You were the one who suggested we train together, and went out of you way to spend time with me.  When I showed up, you could have said that you didn’t want me here.  You could have told me that you didn’t want me as your sister.  I mean, it’s been more than a decade since we met.”</p><p>“Why would I say a thing like that?” Vegeta asked.  He couldn’t believe that she would think THAT lowly of him.  Did she really see him to be that cruel?</p><p>“Well, my father…my human father, Jiro…he didn’t want me,” Kaiya said softly, her tail stiffening up again.  “He made it perfectly clear that he didn’t want me as a daughter, so I wouldn’t have been shocked if you hadn’t…”</p><p>She didn’t need to finish her statement.  Vegeta knew what she was going to say.  Not only had her human father betrayed her, but their father betrayed her as well.  He was the one who sent his sister away causing her to be captured and killed by Frieza’s men.  It was Kaiya’s father’s betrayal that placed her in this position.</p><p>“Listen, kid,” Vegeta spoke up, “I am only going to say this once, so pay attention.  Even if I were as cruel as your father, which I am not, I would never say to a child that they were unwanted, whether or not it was the truth.  A real man would take responsibility and care for their child instead of gambling with their life for a false agreement of protection and freedom.  Our father did the exact same thing with me, and that is how I ended up on the ship before Frieza destroyed our planet along with the majority of our race.</p><p>“And so, all I can say is I am most certainly not like yours or our father.  Even if this whole thing was unexpected and I never saw myself wanting a sibling, you are here, and I want to know you and train you for times where I may not be here.  I will not stay away forever if I go.  I just cannot stay on one planet for long.  If I ever do leave, it is not because of you, so do NOT lock yourself away because you feel guilty about upsetting me.  I was not upset with you.  Understand?”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t respond; she only stared at Vegeta with a blank expression.  He assumed the girl was letting everything sink in, but was completely flabbergasted when she asked, “Did you seriously just call me a kid?”</p><p>Vegeta looked completely offended.  “Is that ALL you got out of that?” he growled slightly.</p><p>“No, I heard you, and we’ll get to that, but you called me a kid!” Kaiya shrieked.  “I am NOT a kid!  Don’t call me that!”</p><p>Vegeta smirked, his speech almost but forgotten, as he saw a side to Kaiya he hadn’t seen before.  She was completely angry, but it was because of a remark he made.  “What are you going to do about it, <em>kid</em>?”</p><p>Kaiya energy spiked, but only because she was debating whether or not to ignore Vegeta’s teasing or to punch him in the face.  She was not one to fight unless she needed to, but part of her was crying out to start a fight in the middle of a stranger’s kitchen.</p><p>“Go ahead,” Vegeta instructed her.  “Let it go.  I can see you holding back, but there is fight in your eyes.  Whether we are fighting to kill or just fighting for the heck of it, it is the Saiyan way.  You have nothing to be ashamed of.”</p><p>Kaiya’s angered expression softened, confusing Vegeta.  “It’s…It’s not wrong to fight?” Kaiya asked him.  Vegeta’s confusion only grew.  “B-But I was always taught…you never start a fight.  You only fight back in self-defense.  Teachers and parents tell their kids that ever since they’re little.  Lots of kids got into trouble for getting into fights.  I stayed out of them, because I didn’t want to disappoint my mother.”</p><p>That had explained so much…Kakarot’s desire to avoid fighting him in the beginning, giving him the chance to back out which he would have never done, everyone’s blind acceptance of who he was and how he was raised when he felt he did not deserve, Kaiya’s reserved nature.  Fighting for the sake of fighting was frowned upon, not fighting with a reason.  Maybe that’s why Kakarot had forgiven him, why his son, Gohan, had forgiven him, and why the blue-haired heiress welcomed him into her home.  They hadn’t seen him as a killer in those moments, but someone like them.  This realization frightened him more than anything else.  He refused to be like the Earthlings.</p><p>But Kaiya was an Earthling, and she had a warped view of what was acceptable.  “Fighting is the way of life for Saiyans,” he told her.  “We fight each other to train and get stronger to be prepared for our enemies.  Sometimes we fight in order to bond, which is why I would have been fine if you acted on your impulse.  Isn’t there someone you fight in attempts to bond?  With those Saiyan instincts, I can’t see you without at least one person.”</p><p>“Well, there is one person,” Kaiya said nervously playing with her tail again.</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“Hiei,” Kaiya admitted ignoring the look of astonishment on her brother’s face.  “When we met, we got into it.  We both hated each other, him hating me for being human and me hating him for his bad attitude.  One day he pushed me too far and we started fighting.  After a while, it just became something we did until we realized that we were both fighting to convey our feelings to one another.  I’m not the most trusting person in the world, and he’s the same way, so the fact that we fought like we did showed us how much we trusted the other person not to hurt us and we began to enjoy it.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded.  It irritated him a little that what Kaiya was describing was a bond or connection reserved only for close relatives and mates.  Since Hiei was not the former, he was clearly who she was considering for a mate.  But seeing as she knew nothing about her Saiyan genes and instincts, Vegeta would keep that quiet for now.  He did need to have a discussion with Hiei about what he had taught his sister, as well as challenge him to see if he was a fit mate.  With their father gone, not like his opinion would have mattered, and with Kaiya having no close male relatives that she trusted save for him, it was his obligation to make sure that, if she were to choose someone to remain with, she would be well taken care of.</p><p>“Is that the same thing?” Kaiya asked.</p><p>“Similar,” Vegeta grumbled, not liking that he would probably have to interact with her friends again to get to know this Hiei person.  “So,” he said in attempts to change the subject, “what I said?”</p><p>Kaiya hadn’t forgotten Vegeta’s speech.  It honestly meant a lot to her that he was warning her he might leave, but meant more that he would come back.  She didn’t want Vegeta to leave, especially after they were just reunited, but she also didn’t want to leave her home to go with him into space.  From what she remembered of Frieza, aliens, and space, it was all pretty traumatizing.  “I understand, Geta,” she told him.  “And thank you…it means a lot to know that even if this wasn’t planned that you still want me.”</p><p>Tears started to form in Kaiya’s eyes, and Vegeta sighed.  He wasn’t used to crying, but Kaiya seemed to cry a lot.  From what he could tell, the girl was emotionally broken, but he had only minimal understanding of why that was.  It definitely had to do with her father, but he had no details other than he traded her to Frieza and attempted to kill her.  Why she cared so much about him, he couldn’t understand, at least not now.  He would find out sooner or later, but for now, he needed to get her to stop crying.  Remembering their time on Frieza’s ship, Vegeta stood from his seat and walked over to Kaiya, placing his arms around her shoulders.  Kaiya took his silent invitation and buried herself in his chest, allowing him to hug her as she began to sob.  Vegeta closed his eyes, trying to keep himself centered, but it was really angering him that his sister was so upset because of some man who no longer mattered.</p><p>Bulma came back into the kitchen, not noticing the two Saiyans having their emotional moment.  “Okay, sorry, forgot to get the milk out,” she said before finally noticing Vegeta comforting his sister.  “Um, everything okay?”</p><p>Vegeta just looked at Bulma staring at her in a way that told her to leave them be, but Bulma, knowing how humans worked, refused to leave and continued what she was doing, taking out the milk.  With a heightened sense of smell, Kaiya was able to detect the traces of milk and remembered the cookies.  She could really use chocolate in that moment.  “Is that milk whole milk?” Kaiya muttered against Vegeta’s chest.  Her brother’s attention turned back to her.</p><p>“Yeah, but we have skim here, too,” Bulma responded.  “Why?”</p><p>“Just, whole milk makes me sick,” Kaiya explained.  “Mom says skim is better for me.”</p><p>“Oh, okay then.  I’ll get you some and we can all sit down and have these cookies.”</p><p>“I’d like that,” Kaiya told her while slightly pulling away from Vegeta.</p><p>The older Saiyan felt slightly dejected when she pulled away, which he found ridiculous, but then she took his hand and he realized that she still needed to hold onto him.  He joined her at the table and watched Bulma getting out the milk and bringing over a giant plate of cookies.</p><p>Vegeta watched how Kaiya and Bulma interacted.  For some reason, Bulma was becoming very protective over his little sister.  He didn’t mind it, but he couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation as he listened to the two talk about normal Earth stuff, including music and science.  Where Bulma was good with machinery, Kaiya was brilliant when it came to studies of life and medicine.  Bulma was even asking the girl her ideas on some of her medical equipment, and Kaiya seemed excited to discuss such things with someone.</p><p>“So, Kaiya,” Bulma spoke up, “what would you say to coming over for a little get together this weekend?”</p><p>“Get together?” both Kaiya and Vegeta asked at the same time.</p><p>“Well, yeah,” Bulma said as if it should be obvious.  “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten, Vegeta.  The Namekian Dragon Balls will be active again and we can wish back some of our friends.”</p><p>“Dragon Balls?” Kaiya inquired.  “What are those?  And what do you mean by wishing friends back?”</p><p>“And I don’t know where you got the ‘our’ either,” Vegeta sneered.</p><p>“Well, the Dragon Balls are these magical objects the Namekians made,” Bulma explained.  “And we’re wishing out friends back who passed away a little over a year ago.  A few of them died in a fight with a strong competitor,” she said, side-stepping the fact that Vegeta had partly been responsible.  She saw his reaction, one of disbelief, from her eliminating that detail from the story, even though she knew Kaiya most likely knew.  “Then another friend died in the fight against Frieza on Namek.  My best friend, Goku, defeated Frieza, but he couldn’t get off the planet in time before it blew.”</p><p>“Frieza destroyed <em>another </em>planet?” Kaiya asked angrily.  Her fists clenched in rage.  “How could anyone be so heartless?   Isn’t it bad enough he destroyed Planet Vegeta?”</p><p>Bulma started to get a little nervous when the girl’s energy shifted around her, but Vegeta just placed a hand on Kaiya’s shoulder.  She came to seconds later and muttered an apology for her outburst.  She went back to snacking on her cookies and milk, sheepishly hiding behind the glass.  She looked to Bulma for a continuation of her explanation.  “Um, well, we had to wait for the Dragon Balls to reactivate so that we can wish our friends back, and then the Namekians can wish themselves to a new planet.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kaiya replied.  “It sounds really cool.  I’d like to come.”  There is was again.  The complete acceptance Vegeta would never understand.  How many times did this girl need to be told something that would turn her life upside-down?  “Could Hiei come too?”</p><p>“Sure!” Bulma chimed happily, not missing the look on Vegeta’s face.  Vegeta didn’t realize how much he was acting like the typical Earthling big brother, but she would never tell him that.  He always prided himself in the fact that Earthlings and Saiyans were completely different, but really they had a lot of the same customs.  She smiled knowingly at him to which he just glared at her.</p><p>“Great!” Kaiya said excitedly.  Vegeta just muttered something neither woman could understand and drank some milk.  “I can’t wait to meet both of your friends.”</p><p>After hearing Kaiya refer to the Z fighters as his friends, Vegeta nearly choked on his milk.  His little episode caught both Kaiya’s and Bulma’s attention.  “Geta, are you okay?” Kaiya asked in alarm.  The Saiyan prince nodded, but Kaiya went behind him anyways and started patting his back a bit, making him feel slightly better.  Bulma watched in awe as Vegeta completely relax as Kaiya patted on his back.  This girl definitely had an effect on Vegeta, for the better.  From the minute she had met Vegeta, he had never once looked relaxed or like he belonged.  Now…she couldn’t describe the warm feeling she felt at seeing him so…dare she say, human?</p><p>Vegeta looked to Kaiya, not sure how she managed to stop him from choking on his drink.  Kaiya just smiled at him and said, “My grandparents always did that when I coughed or nearly choked on something.  No idea what it’s supposed to do, smacking someone’s back, but it does help.”</p><p>“You keep sharing these things with me, about your life and family…why?” Vegeta asked her with scrunched eyebrows.</p><p>“Well, you said you wanted to know me,” Kaiya reminded him.  “That means everything I’ve learned and experienced too.  Including the concept of family.  Besides, you are family.  One day, you have to meet my mom.  She would love you like her own, you know.”</p><p>Bulma could see Vegeta getting flustered.  He had no words at the moment, so Bulma decided to step in.  “One step at a time,” Bulma stated.  “Have you even told your mother about what happened?”</p><p>“Oh my gosh!” Kaiya exclaimed.  “No, I haven’t, but she would want to know.  She took me being part demon pretty well…hopefully this won’t completely shock her.  I mean, seriously, as of a week ago, neither of us believed in aliens, and now…well, my opinion on that changed drastically.”</p><p>Bulma laughed at the girl’s random and naïve nature.  Other than the fact that she was suffering from something deeper than Bulma could understand, she had an uplifting and optimistic attitude that almost reminded her of Goku.  The two of them could probably become good friends, other than the fact that her brother wanted to kill said Saiyan.</p><p>Kaiya finished up her last couple of cookies quickly, yet gracefully like Vegeta did.  “I should probably get home,” she said.  “I kind of left Hiei there, and I should call my mother and tell her about all of this.  But I’ll be back tomorrow for training and then again on the weekend to meet your friends.  And…I don’t know how, but I will try my best to eat a lot more.  It’s hard to remember meals sometimes.”  She quickly gave Vegeta a hug before attempting to run off.</p><p>“Oh no, I see what you’re doing,” Bulma berated.  “You were trying to leave without the credit card and the cooking bots.”  She walked over to Kaiya and placed both in her hands.</p><p>Kaiya sighed, her tail curling around her from being caught in doing something “wrong.”  She took the capsule and card from Bulma and gave the older woman a hug.  “Thank you,” she whispered before letting go and running off.</p><p>Vegeta was shocked that Kaiya acted so friendly with Bulma, and that Bulma actually seemed to care about his sister.  The heiress walked over to the counter and got a few more cookies and refilled her glass of milk.  “You know, your sister is very sweet,” Bulma said, ignoring the fact that Vegeta didn’t respond.  “She kind of reminds me of you, except without the bad attitude.”</p><p>Vegeta could tell that Bulma was teasing him, but he did not want to indulge in her need to taunt him for the day.  Where it had been somewhat normal for them to argue, he felt the need to lay this argument to rest.  How dare she compare him to Kaiya?  He was a merciless murderer, and Kaiya was innocent and naïve.  There was no way they were alike, not at all.</p><p>“She has some of the same mannerisms, and there’s her shyness,” Bulma continued, now seeing that Vegeta was finally reacting.  He was getting flustered.  “Actually, the day I asked you to stay here, her shyness reminds me of that.”</p><p>Bulma was out of the room before Vegeta could say or do anything.  She pictured his mouth hanging open after that as she heard him mutter what she assumed to be curses to her in his native language.  Bulma was kind of glad she couldn’t understand exactly what he was calling her, but she laughed the entire way to her room.  Sometimes messing with the Saiyan prince was way too fun.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya returned home with a bunch of wings of different flavors.  She had been very thankful to Bulma and her family for being willing to feed her.  When Hiei had seen her carrying a ton of large boxes of wings, his mouth dropped open, no audible sound coming out.</p><p>“Um, yeah,” she said with a smile.  “I kind of need some help with the rest.”</p><p>“Rest?” Hiei asked her in disbelief.</p><p>“I’ll explain in a minute,” she told him.  “Just get the last couple of boxes out of the car while I get us some plates.  There’s a bag of sodas in the front, too.”</p><p>Hiei’s quirked brow returned to normal, though revealed his slight nervousness.  Without asking any questions, he went out to collect the rest of the food and drinks from her car.  He quickly brought the food to the kitchen and saw Kaiya piling a ton of wings on her plate.</p><p>“Oh good,” she said taking a box from him, “the ranch dipping sauce is in there.”</p><p>Hiei just stared at Kaiya like she was crazy.  “Kaiya…I’m almost afraid to ask…what the hell are you doing?”</p><p>Kaiya paused in her movements and looked to Hiei.  “Well, you know how I skip meals, eat small portions, and pretty much say I’m not hungry all the time?”</p><p>“Yeah?” Hiei grumbled.  That was one thing he hated…Kaiya not taking care of herself.</p><p>“Apparently, I’m not allowed to do that,” she told him.  “I mean, I was never supposed to do that.  I’ve been starving myself, not eating enough.  Saiyans eat about, according to Bulma, ‘a hundred times’ what I eat.  Vegeta wasn’t happy about it either.  So…Bulma offered me a credit card for a food allowance because I can’t afford all of that food.  I feel awkward for accepting it.”</p><p>“Why?” Hiei asked her.  “It’s something you need, right?  Why feel awkward about it?”</p><p>“She doesn’t know me,” Kaiya retorted.</p><p>“You didn’t know me either, at least not well, and still decided to go behind my back to learn more about me,” Hiei reminded her.  “This woman obvious cares about you like you do others.  Just accept it.  It’s much easier.”</p><p>Kaiya laughed.  “Vegeta said something similar.  But yeah…I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow after class and before training.  Still trying to figure out how to get it all done.”</p><p>“I’ll go with you,” Hiei stated.</p><p>Kaiya again stopped her movements again to stare at her boyfriend.  “You,” she stated monotonously.  “You want to come to my class with me, after what happened last time?”</p><p>Hiei narrowed his eyes at her.  “It’s not the same teacher is it?” Hiei muttered.  “If it is, he will lose his hand next time he puts it on my head.”</p><p>“Okay, okay, relax, jeez,” Kaiya said holding her hands up in defense.  “It’s not the same guy.  That class was over last semester.”</p><p>“Thank God,” Hiei grumbled taking his plate of wings.  “Oh, and if both Vegeta and that woman told you to eat more, you are not finishing until you eat every last wing on that plate, plus five plates more.”</p><p>“I know, Hiei,” Kaiya replied with a smile.  “I know.  Oh, and ‘that woman’s’ name is Bulma.”</p><p>Hiei just looked at her, staring blankly at her.  “Like I care,” he said without any emotion.</p><p>Kaiya just rolled her eyes at him as they began to eat.  Once Hiei was finished, he watched Kaiya.  It was strange for her to have to change her eating habit so drastically later in life, and with the possibility of her forgetting to eat, Hiei took it upon himself to make sure she followed through with her brother’s orders.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was standing outside on the balcony to his room.  He was staring up at the night sky, just thinking.</p><p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>Vegeta sighed, annoyed that his quiet time was now being interrupted by the woman.  “Nothing that concerns you,” Vegeta told her.</p><p>“Oh come on,” Bulma said as she placed the laundry basket she had been carrying down on the bed.  “The look on your face was just too intense NOT to be something.  You can trust me, you know.  I won’t judge you.”</p><p>“You should,” Vegeta scoffed.  He turned and looked back outside.  “She should too.”</p><p>Bulma finally realized what this was all about and smiled.  “Vegeta, most family members are close.  Family is supposed to protect each other and provide love and support, and she wants to do that for you.  Just let her.”</p><p>“Do you understand what you are saying?” Vegeta nearly growled.  “Did I not attack and kill your friends and attempt to wipe out your entire race like that tyrant?”</p><p>“You didn’t know any other way,” Bulma whispered.</p><p>Vegeta just looked at her, searching her expression for any hint of a trick or malice.  “You know nothing, woman.  Now leave me be.”</p><p>“Fine,” Bulma replied with a sigh.  “You should get some rest.  Your sister is coming back tomorrow.”</p><p>“I know,” he said calmly before Bulma stood up and walked back inside.</p><p>Her ki hadn’t left his room, and Vegeta was growing increasingly angry.  Then he heard footsteps on the porch again and felt a piece of cloth being wrapped around him.  He turned to cast Bulma a questioning glance as he pulled the blanket closer to him.</p><p>“Good night, Vegeta,” she said before picking up her basket again and heading towards her room.</p><p>Vegeta sighed again before looking back at the universe.  He would never understand the way Earthlings thought, but at least he seemed to have some type of mutual understanding with both Kaiya and Bulma, and no one else.  And that’s how Vegeta intended for it to stay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 6 - Enter Z Fighters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p><p>This is kind of a filler chapter, but kind of needed to move this all along XD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya could barely sleep the night before she was supposed to go to Capsule Corp. to meet the Z fighters.  Part of her was nervous about the whole ordeal.  She had spoken to her cousin, Nariko, the day before as well as her own mother, explaining to them and only them about the whole thing with Jiro, Frieza, and her being a Saiyan.  Nariko freaked out much like she did when she found out Kaiya was a demon, although this was a lot less drama filled without the demon hunters.  Her mother was understanding, as always, but was still in shock regarding the whole alien abduction.</p><p>Kaiya sighed looking outside at the night sky.  Part of her really wanted to go outside and just stare at the stars.  She had always loved going camping as a child, but it had been a long time since then.  As an adult, it was harder to enjoy those things, such as the gathering of wood and making of s’mores, due to the fact that she was always studying or on some case for Spirit World.  And now that she knew of her Saiyan side, she couldn’t help but enjoy stargazing and reveling in the sight of the universe in front of her.  It seemed amazing to her that all the stars in the sky were much more than that, possibly with another alien race living on those dots.  Who knew?  Maybe they were looking at Earth too.</p><p>“You should be asleep,” Hiei stated walking into the living room.</p><p>“Can’t,” Kaiya admitted leaning her head on her bent knees, looking over to her boyfriend.</p><p>“Nervous or excited?” Hiei asked her, joining her on the windowsill.</p><p>“A bit of both I guess,” Kaiya replied.  “I really don’t know why.”</p><p>“I don’t think you have to worry about tomorrow,” Hiei told her.  “You said Bulma seems to be excited about introducing you.”</p><p>“Yeah, but Vegeta isn’t,” Kaiya sighed. “I just don’t know what to think.”</p><p>“I did not want Yukina bonding with anyone here at first,” Hiei pointed out.  “I didn’t have a say because I wouldn’t tell her who I was.  Vegeta hasn’t been on Earth all that long and, at best, only sees Bulma as an acquaintance.  He probably doesn’t see her friends as his, especially when he’s the reason some of them are dead.”</p><p>“But they’re getting wished back,” Kaiya stated, knowing full well the things Vegeta did on Earth the year prior.  “He can’t still feel guilty about taking their lives.”</p><p>Hiei sighed.  “You’ve never had to kill, whether it be for fun or survival,” he pointed out, “and hopefully you will never have to.  That feeling of complete disregard for the other’s life is what can never leave you, not matter what you do or how many lives you save since.”</p><p>“But you need, and he needs, to let it go,” Kaiya said looking away from the window and into her boyfriend’s eyes.  “Those actions defined you once, but they don’t now.  Why can you see that?”</p><p>“Habit,” Hiei muttered.  “It’s a hard habit to break.”</p><p>“Well, I say work towards breaking it,” Kaiya suggested.  “It won’t happen overnight, but try to forgive yourself.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei replied, effectively ending the conversation.  “You should go to bed.  Where I don’t see tomorrow being too bad, rest is required on your part.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Kaiya trailed off.  “It’s funny.  Vegeta said Saiyans don’t require a lot of sleep, but I feel so much better once I sleep.  I think it’s something he convinced himself of.”</p><p>Hiei didn’t respond other than saying, “Goodnight, Kaiya.”  Kaiya took the hint and left the room to go to bed.  Meanwhile, Hiei remained on the windowsill, staring up at the night sky.  He sighed before allowing himself to drift off into darkness.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was still training by the time Saturday had come.  The entire day had been constant training with no interruptions and no meals.  When the sun came up, that was when Kakarot would be back.  He would finally be able to prove himself and get the Earthling warrior’s tips on becoming a Super Saiyan.  His pride would be restored, and then he would take his place as ruler of the universe.</p><p>Then Vegeta froze as he walked out of the GR.  No, he wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.  He had a tie here, and he knew that he would never be able to stay away for long.  Kaiya needed him, but Vegeta didn’t know if he’d be willing to give up his original plan for her.  It had been a long time since Vegeta felt the need to protect anyone else or make them proud of him.  Frieza stripped him of that quality, and Vegeta had gone along with it sending Raditz to his death and ending Nappa himself.  The Saiyan prince shook his head trying to rid himself of the memories.  He couldn’t believe he allow Frieza to mold him into…<em>that</em>.</p><p>Vegeta sneered and growled at the memories of his former master and entered the compound through the kitchen door.  He found that the lights were still on, which was highly unusual.  What was even more unusual was that he found Bulma up as well drinking a beverage that humans would deem “alcoholic.”  Vegeta grimaced.  He hated those types of drinks, especially with how they affected Saiyans.</p><p>He stepped into the kitchen making Bulma tense when she heard him step onto the hard floor.  She turned to see him standing in the doorway and smiled.  “Hey Vegeta,” she said, obviously not completely affected by her drink yet.  “I hope you enjoyed your training session.  Dinner is in the fridge.”</p><p>Vegeta simply nodded in acknowledgement.  He went to the fridge and started piling food on the plate that was left out for him.  Then Bulma sighed, and Vegeta waited for her to start bombarding him with a conversation he knew he would find pointless.</p><p>“So, the guys are going to be back tomorrow,” Bulma pointed out.  Yup, he found it pointless already.  “I can’t believe it’s been so long since I saw Yamcha.”</p><p>Vegeta had to force himself not to scoff.  He had heard enough of the woman talking about her on-again-off-again boyfriend too often.  He hadn’t even known who she was referring to until he saw pictures around the house and the woman’s mother was talking to him about them.  He was just the weakling warrior who was so full of himself, yet was taken out by one of the Saibamen in less than a moment.  Vegeta’s eyes narrowed at his plate of food.  He did not want to see that guy the next day.</p><p>“I’m glad that Kaiya said she wanted to come,” Bulma continued.  Vegeta tensed again, clutching onto a glass he had just filled with water.  “She’s such a sweetheart, Vegeta.  I never got to have any siblings.  I’m a little jealous.”</p><p>Vegeta turned to flash her a look of annoyance and confusion.  Bulma just laughed at the look on his face.  “Lighten up,” she said.  “I just meant that you’re lucky to have someone like her.  She really looks up to you.”</p><p>“She shouldn’t,” Vegeta replied, feeling a sense of déjà vu.  “There’s nothing for her to look up to.”</p><p>“I bet she doesn’t see it that way,” Bulma chided gently smiling at Vegeta when he shot her a look of incredulousness.  “I mean it, Vegeta.  Can you honestly blame her?  On a ship full of scary aliens she had never seen, you were the only one to look after her.”</p><p>Vegeta looked away and shrugged.  “It was my job,” he reminded her, hoping she’d drop it.</p><p>“Did you job include sending her safely back home?” Bulma pressed.</p><p>Well, he knew she had him there.  No, it wasn’t his job to protect her like that.  He treated her differently than anyone else in his life.  He wasn’t willing to accept punishment for sending her away before he found out she was his sister, hence the reason she had still been on the ship; but once he knew, he couldn’t ignore it.  He couldn’t fight the need to protect her life at all costs.  She had been his only attachment, the only one he allowed himself to have despite not wanting them.</p><p>And now Frieza was dead.  There was nothing preventing him from taking care of her and protecting her.  The tyrant could never hurt either of them again, unless you counted the memories and nightmares.  Ruling the universe?  He lost that desire and drive from being on this planet.  Besides, if he ruled, he would not do it like Frieza had.  He was not the same killer he had been, or at least he didn’t want to be.  But maybe he didn’t have to rule.  What if he truly did decide to stay?</p><p>“I’m going to bed,” Vegeta announced abruptly, swiftly marching out of the kitchen.</p><p>Bulma smiled as she watched the Saiyan leave.  She had been around him enough to know that something she had said may have finally broken through to him.  The heiress couldn’t wait until the next morning, and not just because they would be able to wish some of their friends back.  She was happy that it would be another great bonding activity for the two Saiyans, and those moments were something they both seemed to need.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya and Hiei drove over to Capsule Corp. the next morning and were surprised to see so many people.  Kaiya had never seen all the Namekians at once and now they were all outside with Bulma and her family.  There was also a black-haired woman and a little boy, as well as another Namekian wearing a turban that Kaiya had yet to meet.  There was also some old guy.  Both fire demons watched in amusement as he tried to grope Bulma before she beat him into the ground.  The only person they hadn’t seen yet was Vegeta.</p><p>“I wonder where he is,” Kaiya mused.</p><p>“Hn, probably waiting for you,” Hiei told her.  “Let’s go.”</p><p>“Hiei, there’s a lot of people,” Kaiya pointed out.  “Are you going to be okay?”</p><p>“I hate crowds because people annoy me.  I don’t have issues with crowds in general.”</p><p>Kaiya sighed as she unbuckled herself.  “If you say so.”</p><p>Kaiya and Hiei exited her car and walked over to the large group.  Bulma spotted them first and was quick to welcome them before her mother ran to Kaiya and nearly choked the life out of her.  Vegeta watched from the shadows as his sister was smothered with the love and affection he didn’t know if he could give her.  He watched Hiei follow her around glaring at anyone he didn’t know that attempted to get near her.</p><p>“So anyways, you know my parents and you’ve seen some of the Namekians,” Bulma conversed.  “Piccolo is over by that tree.”  She pointed to a Namekian sitting under the large oak tree.  He just glanced at Kaiya before returning to a meditative state.  Kaiya didn’t feel all that great when his eyes coldly bore into hers.  She had no idea why he had been acting like that when she never met him.</p><p>Bulma then led Kaiya and Hiei to three humans.  “And this is Roshi.  He trained my friends Goku, Krillin, and Yamcha.  And this is Chi Chi and Gohan.  Gohan is half-Saiyan and Chi Chi is his mother.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled, her tail swishing excitedly back and forth, before she knelt in front of the little boy.  Gohan acted a little shy which seemed to shock both Bulma and Chi Chi as Gohan had finally been coming out of his shell.  The Saiyan princess seemed oblivious to the fact and was still as cheery as ever.  “Hi,” she greeted.  “I’m Kaiya.”</p><p>“I know,” Gohan replied nervously.  “I heard from my friend, Dende, that you’re Vegeta’s sister.”</p><p>“I am,” Kaiya answered, not fully understanding why Gohan seemed so wary of her.  “He’s been a really great big brother to me.”</p><p>Vegeta’s heart nearly stopped when he heard what she said, especially after observing the animosity held towards her for merely being related to him.  What she had told Kakarot’s brat was far from the truth.  He was not a good big brother to or for her.  In his own mind, he had been the worst person imaginable to her, causing her nothing but pain.  She deserved something other than what he could offer, yet she still spoke so highly of him, and to his rival’s son no less whom he had also treated poorly.</p><p>“Really?” he heard the boy ask in surprised.</p><p>“Why is that so unexpected?” Kaiya asked.</p><p>“Okay,” Bulma said, drawing attention away from the topic of discussion.  “We should probably get started.  The soon we get our friends back, the better.”</p><p>“Oh that’s right,” one of the Namekians Kaiya didn’t know called out.  “We wanted to tell you to make all of your wishes for all of your friends back.  We can wait to find a new home.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Bulma asked him.  When she received a nod, she grinned.  “Alright, you heard the man.  Let’s get this show on the road.”</p><p>Gohan’s shyness disappeared when a young Namekian ran over to him and the Dragon Balls.  Kaiya remembered the little Namekian having run into after a training session with her brother.  “Hey, Dende, right?” she asked.</p><p>The little Namekian turned to Kaiya and flashed her a small smiled.  “You remembered me?” he asked.</p><p>“Of course,” Kaiya replied returning the smile.  “You’re the one who helped me when I got lost in there.”  She pointed to Capsule Corp. for dramatic effect.  Dende laughed, and when Gohan saw how laid back his friend was with the Saiyan princess, he seemed to lose the nervousness and animosity he held towards her.</p><p>Bulma smiled, but then frowned and looked back to her home wondering where Vegeta was.  She knew he couldn’t stand her friends, but his sister was there.  Surely he had sensed her arrival.  Why was he acting so distant?  She started to wonder if it had anything to do with their conversation the night before.  Maybe she hadn’t talked sense into him like she had hoped.</p><p>“Um, Bulma, shouldn’t we make the wishes now?” Gohan asked holding a little more confidence in his voice than before.</p><p>Bulma, broken out of her thoughts, exclaimed, “Gohan, you’re right!  It’s time to get your father back.”</p><p>With the help of Dende, Bulma called upon the dragon.  A large, green dragon appeared in the sky freaking out many of the passersby.  Bulma looked over to Kaiya to gage her reaction and saw her smiling to Hiei who was smirking.  They must have been having some kind of conversation telepathically, but heck if Bulma knew what they could be talking about.  She had a job to do anyway, so she focused on the task at hand.</p><p>The first wish was to bring two people, Krillin and Goku, to Earth’s check-in station.  Apparently the wish could not be fulfilled because the one they called Goku was still alive.  This shocked everyone, but then they changed the wish to bring Goku to Earth.  That wish could also not be fulfilled because Goku was staying away purposefully and refused to come.</p><p>Faces fell in the group, and actually Chi Chi nearly had an outburst.  Kaiya looked over to Gohan who looked devastated at the fact that his father was choosing to stay away longer.  Smiling sadly, Kaiya picked up the small boy and hugged him.  Gohan, initially shocked, relaxed when he realized he was safe.</p><p>“It’ll be okay, Gohan,” Kaiya whispered to him.  “Your dad will be back.  I just know it.  He’s probably just training to be ready for the next opponent.”</p><p>Gohan smiled when she said this, and Kaiya set him back down.  Chi Chi looked over to the young girl and mouthed over a “thank you.”  Kaiya just smiled and motioned that it was no big deal.  She understood the disappointment, but thankfully it was for a different circumstance.  From what she heard from Bulma, Goku was a good father.</p><p>Something inside Vegeta snapped when he heard that Kakarot was purposefully staying away.  The Saiyan’s return was the only thing that had originally been keeping him there.  Now, he couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t return.  He had a family there, as well as many enemies.  Did he honestly mean to leave his wife and child unprotected?  And did he truly plan on keeping Vegeta waiting for a rematch?  Yes, those were two completely unrelated things, but Vegeta was angered by the lack of consideration on the other full-blooded Saiyan’s part.  He then made a snap decision and made his way to the spaceship he had been using for training.</p><p>Everyone was surprised to hear and then see the ship take off, but none was more surprised than Kaiya.  She had expected to see her brother, but he just left so abruptly.  Hiei grabbed her wrist, bringing her attention to him.  He looked incredibly concerned, but Kaiya just smiled remembering her brother’s words from a couple days ago.</p><p>“He’ll be back,” she said.  “He just can’t stay on one planet for too long.  Habit, you know?”</p><p>Hiei nodded in understanding with her using the reason from their conversation the night before; however, Bulma wasn’t as accepting.</p><p>“Still, he could have at least said ‘goodbye’ first,” she complained.</p><p>“He’s not one for ‘goodbyes,’” Kaiya stated with a shrug, remembering Vegeta knocking her out on Frieza’s ship.  “I can hardly blame him, though.  It’s not ‘goodbye;’ it’s ‘see you soon.’”</p><p>After Bulma thought about it for a moment, she sighed.  “Well, we still have the wishes to make.”</p><p>Dende instructed the dragon to send Krillin to the check in station.  He was then wished back to life and walked through a glowing portal.  “Hn,” Hiei replied with a smirk.  Kaiya stared at him questioningly.  “Koenma must be having a field day right now with souls being wished back to life at the drop of a pin.”</p><p>Kaiya just chuckled and shook her head.  She sometimes forgot how much her boyfriend despised the Spirit World ruler.  This was serving as a type of amusement for him.  Now, the remaining question was who would be wished back next.  No one seemed to want to make that choice.</p><p>Eventually, a voice was heard, even by Kaiya and Hiei who were tuned in telepathically.  The two of them shrugged to one another, not sure where this new voice was coming from.  The voice said it was okay for the others to wish someone named Yamcha back and that Tien and Chiaotzu would be wished back the next time the Dragon Balls were active, another 130 day wait.  The names were unfamiliar to the two fire demons, but they waited patiently for Yamcha to be wished back.</p><p>When Yamcha walked out of the glowing portal, Kaiya whispered to Hiei, “Koenma owned count, five.”</p><p>“Five?” Hiei asked.</p><p>“Yusuke twice,” she started to list counting on her fingers, “me, and now two people, all being revived.  His hundred year speech was such a crock.”</p><p>“Well,” Gohan whispered to them, “almost everyone here was wished back to life before, even my dad and Vegeta.  Krillin was wished back twice, and Chiaotzu will have also been wished back twice.”</p><p>Hiei couldn’t help but chuckle, playfully elbowing Kaiya.  “Imagine the paperwork.”  Kaiya burst out laughing, though not loud enough to draw attention to herself.  Gohan was confused as to what paperwork they were referring to.  Then, as Kaiya sobered up from the joke, she frowned.</p><p>“Wait,” she said as calmly as she could muster, “you said that Vegeta was brought back to life.  How did it happen?”</p><p>Gohan hesitated in telling Kaiya.  He himself was still suffering from the nightmares.  Even Vegeta’s death was painful for him to remember, especially being paired with the story he told.</p><p>“It was-“</p><p>“Yamcha!” Bulma exclaimed happily, running over to the man whose life was now restored.</p><p>Gohan breathed out a breath of relief when Kaiya’s attention was drawn away from her question.  He noticed Hiei looking at him, glaring, making him nervous.  What the young demi-Saiyan didn’t realize was that Hiei was not glaring at him but glaring after learning the reason for Vegeta’s death, speech and all.  He too was relieved that Kaiya had gotten distracted and hoped she would stay that way.  It was clear that she had not seen all of Vegeta’s memories, meaning he had not seen all of hers either.</p><p>Meanwhile, Kaiya was staring at the man whom Bulma was with.  She remembered Bulma telling her about Yamcha during girl talk once before.  The two of them had dated in the past, but had broken it off for reasons Bulma did not disclose.  Kaiya had shrugged it off at the time, but then she has seen the way Vegeta and Bulma acted around each other.  Part of her had hoped that the two of them would be together.  She kept that thought to herself, though.</p><p>Everyone seemed to make their way back into Capsule Corp. when Yamcha finally asked, “Hey, who’s the girl, and who is that guy with her?  She’s kind of hot.”</p><p>He was just teasing, Kaiya knew, but neither she nor Hiei found it funny.  Hiei glared and growled at the offender, taking Kaiya’s hand his, making the human chuckle nervously.  “Lighten up, dude,” he said.  “I was just kidding.  Obviously she’s your girlfriend.  I just wanted to know who you two were.”</p><p>Kaiya narrowed her eyes, sighed, and stated, “Joke or not, it’s disrespectful to speak to someone’s girlfriend in such a manner.  Plus, if you want to know who we are, just ask our damn names.”</p><p>Yamcha was startled by how the girl could go from speaking eloquently one second to cursing the next.  “Fine, then,” he muttered.  “Who are you?”</p><p>Kaiya smirked victoriously and decided to grace him with a response.  “My name is Kaiya Ishii, and that is much better.”</p><p>Yamcha just rolled his eyes and looked to Hiei.  “And you?”</p><p>“Hiei,” he said with a slight growl.  “And speak to her in that degrading manner again and the wish bringing you back today will have been a waste.”</p><p>“Threatening me in front of your girlfriend,” Yamcha bit out, chuckling bitterly.  “Might wanna watch yourself or you’ll lose her.”</p><p>Kaiya simply shrugged, not caring what Yamcha said.  “I have no delusions as to who Hiei is.  If he hadn’t threatened you, I would have.”</p><p>Yamcha was starting to get irritated with Kaiya’s behavior.  “Bulma, who the heck is this girl and why the hell is she here?” Yamcha said with a snarl.</p><p>“Kaiya is Vegeta’s sister, Yamcha,” Bulma replied, ignoring most of the conflict.  She couldn’t blame Kaiya for acting the way she was.  The girl was not only the sister of one of the most stubborn people she’s ever met, but she also had that Saiyan instinct to fight, even verbally.  “She came to visit.”</p><p>“Vegeta has a sister?” Yamcha asked in shock.  He looked over to Kaiya and then smirked at her.  “That explains so much.  So where is the creep?”</p><p>Kaiya froze in her steps and glared at the human.  “My brother is not a ‘creep,’” Kaiya growled.  “He may have done bad things, but he’s a good person.”</p><p>Yamcha rolled his eyes.  “Look kid, I don’t know what he’s told you, but he’s the reason a lot of people are dead, including me and a few other friends,” Yamcha explained sternly, avoiding Bulma’s glare of warning.</p><p>When she realized that he was ignoring her, Bulma spoke up.  “Yamcha, stop,” she warned.  He still ignored her as the Namekians, Gohan, Chi Chi, and Krillin just watched in shock as everything unfolded.</p><p>“He hasn’t lied to me!” Kaiya shouted.  “I already know the majority of the things he’s done.  I’m a telepath; I’ve seen the things unfold, and you will never understand any of it.”</p><p>“No one answered my question,” Yamcha said in attempts to change the subject.  He could feel the girl’s energy, and honestly he wasn’t looking to die again anytime soon.  “Where is Vegeta?”</p><p>Bulma sighed, running her hand through her hair.  “He took off for space today.”</p><p>Yamcha just looked over to Kaiya.  “You see?  He’s already left you.  You can’t tell me he’s not a bad guy.”</p><p>“He’ll be back,” Kaiya replied with confidence.  She turned to face Bulma, ignoring the perplexed stares of all the other guests.  “Thanks for having us, but we’re going to go.  Let me know when Geta gets back.”</p><p>She didn’t give anyone a chance to say “goodbye” before flashing out of there.  Hiei glared at the scarred fighter before following.  Yamcha received an unexpected smack to the head, causing him to turn around and scold whoever struck him.  The second he turned around, he regretted it.  There Bulma stood, arms crossed, shaking her head.  “You really need to choose your audience,” was all she said to him for the rest of the day.</p><hr/><p>When Kaiya pulled up in front of her apartment, she stormed out of the car.  Hiei sighed and locked the vehicle up and watched as flames appeared every time Kaiya took a step.  He hoped it was purposeful and not that she was losing control, but he got his answer when the flames disappear as she stepped on the carpet.  Kaiya was just releasing her anger.</p><p>“It’s a relief to know you aren’t regressing and losing control of your powers,” he said monotonously.</p><p>Kaiya sighed as she walked inside the small unit.  “I can’t stand when people act like they know everything,” Kaiya stated, her voice wavering.  “Jiro, Jake, so many of our enemies…they didn’t know anything and they tried to kill us, judging us like there was some fundamental law that all those with demon powers are bad.  I know Vegeta did bad things, but I also know WHY.”  She sighed again and shook her head.  “Why can’t anyone ever get the full story before judging?”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter,” Hiei told her, moving a strand of hair from her face.  “As long as your opinion of him doesn’t change, he’ll be able to ignore the opinions of those he doesn’t care about.”</p><p>“I guess you’re right.”  The alarm on Kaiya’s phone then went off, and she grinned.  “I forgot!  Hiei, turn on the TV and put on channel six.”</p><p>“Why, dare I ask?”</p><p>“Because there’s a special on blue whales!” she exclaimed from the kitchen, the confrontation from earlier nearly forgotten.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was in the middle of doing his kata and various exercises at 150 times Earth’s gravity.  He refused to go much higher because he knew that if he damaged the ship, he would not be able to repair it and he would never get back to Earth.  His goal was to find Kakarot and bring him back to the blue planet, as well as learning the secret to his transformation back on Namek.  He was hoping that locating him wouldn’t take so long.  There was no doubt his abrupt departure was causing all sorts of commotion back on Earth.</p><p>His second goal was to get back to his sister as quickly as possible.  Already he was beginning to miss her, strange as that was, and he was worried about her training.  He still had no idea what she knew in terms of defense and offense, nor did he know if Hiei was a suitable mate for her.  That would be the first thing he took care of when he got back.</p><p>The monitor of the ship started blinking rapidly, beeping repetitively.  Wanting to make the irritating noise stop, Vegeta paused in his exercises and made his way to the monitor.  The reason for this interruption irritated Vegeta.  The ship was passing by one of Frieza’s trade planets.  Normally, Vegeta would have ignored the rock and never looked back…everything that had happened lately was far from normal.</p><p>Vegeta had felt the desire to change, but his pride was in the way, as well as the existence of the PTO.  The memories of his time serving Frieza were still ever present in his mind, now more than ever with his memories being unlocked.  The Saiyan prince growled as he began hitting buttons, resetting the ship’s course for the small, red, trade planet.  Now he had a third goal…to disband the PTO once and for all.</p><hr/><p>Back on Earth, in a small cave located in the middle of nowhere, two figures cloaked in black were gathering round, white objects.  “Are you sure those rocks are what we’re looking for?” a feminine voice asked.</p><p>The other cloaked figure, taller than the girl, sent her a glare with his eyes as the rest of his face was covered.  The cave was dark, contrasting to the white shine of the small, spherical rocks.  “They don’t look like much now, but in a few months, they will become active, starred balls.  We will be able to wish for our master’s return.”</p><p>“Whatever you say,” the girl scoffed in reply.  “I’ll believe it when I see it.”</p><p>The male, cloaked figure rolled his eyes to his comrade’s remark.  He looked back to the rocks and smirked beneath the cloth mask.  <em>Soon, </em>he thought to himself, <em>soon our master will be back to take his revenge.  Those demons have no chance.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 7 - The Return of Two Times Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own YYH, DBZ, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>And a couple months has passed by very swiftly.  It was already the end of the semester for Kaiya, and she was spending more time over at Capsule Corp. despite her brother not being there.  At first, Bulma had invited her back after another 130 days to meet her other two friends and to say “goodbye” to the Namekians as they left planet Earth for good.  This time she went without Hiei because he was asked to assist Yusuke and the others with a mission.  He would not give Kaiya the details, and she was worried because as soon as he was given details, he completely shut down on her.</p><p>The saddest part about the Namekians leaving was the fact that Gohan and Dende had to part ways.  The little Namekian seemed to be the only one Gohan hung out with that was around his age, so it seemed.  Kaiya felt bad about friends parting like she had with a couple of hers, but she understood that Dende had to go with his people.  And now, one of the reasons she went to Capsule Corp. as often, was to spend time with the other half-breed, and she found out he was incredibly smart.</p><p>Vegeta had yet to return, and Kaiya missed him.  She knew he would be back, but not knowing when was really taking its toll on her.  Waiting was always harder when you kept focusing on the subject.  It was like waiting for final grades, but on a much larger scale.  She only hoped that wherever her brother was, he was safe and healthy.</p><p>“Bulma, why is she here?” Yamcha asked when he saw Kaiya sitting in the tree outside looking up at the sky.</p><p>Bulma just scoffed.  Yamcha had not been very welcoming the first time Kaiya showed up at Capsule Corp. after their big blowout.  He really had no room to talk, but since he was currently living there for a short time, he felt he had the right to ask her to leave.  Bulma was happy she had overheard the conversation as Kaiya got ready to go.  Later, she had asked the girl why she was leaving and she responded by saying, “I won’t go anywhere I’m not wanted.”</p><p>After that, Bulma set both of them straight.  Kaiya was welcomed, and Yamcha needed to get over it.  Bulma did not rescind her invitations, and that was something they both now understood.</p><p>She watched Kaiya kicking out her dangling legs as she continued to look at the sky.  The girl had never been like this when she came over, but today she refused to look away from the sky.  The heiress was getting concerned for her and hoped that Vegeta would be back soon, for both her sake and his.  The two siblings needed each other, of that she was certain.</p><p>“Yamcha, leave her alone,” Bulma sighed.  “She’s here because she’s hoping Vegeta will be back today.”</p><p>Yamcha just scoffed.  “She’ll be waiting forever on that jerk.”</p><p>Bulma sent Yamcha a glare and he instantly shut up.  “Look, I’m only going to say this once.  You have not seen them together.  I have, and, let me tell you, he is a completely different than the person we had come to know when he’s around her.  So, if he said he would come back to her, I have no doubt that it’s the truth.”</p><p>“Whoa, calm down, Bulma,” Yamcha pleaded, holding up his hands in defense.  “I was just saying, but if you’re confident about this…”</p><p>Yamcha couldn’t bring himself to lie and say that he believed what she did, but he didn’t even have the time to as a spacecraft crash landed in the backyard.  He looked to the tree to see Kaiya smiling, her eyes lighting up, before sensing a familiar energy.  “Great, he’s back,” he muttered.</p><p>Bulma smiled at her friend.  “See?  What did I tell you?” she asked before running out into the backyard.</p><p>The door to the ship opened and Vegeta was about to step out.  He was prevented from doing so, being knocked back into the ship as his sister tackled him for a hug.</p><p>“Geta, you’re back!” she exclaimed happily causing the older Saiyan to smirk.</p><p>“Yes,” he replied.  “I won’t be going again for a while.”</p><p>Vegeta could visibly see the joy appear on her face as he said this, his smirk becoming more of a relaxed grin as he hugged the girl tighter.  Kaiya looked up to her brother, her tail thrashing in her happiness.  “I’ve been training more while you were away,” she said with pride.  “I’ve been eating more too.”</p><p>“Good,” Vegeta replied rubbing the top of her head.  He had missed his sister dearly over the last few months with the only consolation being the disbandment of a handful of Frieza’s trade and slave planets.  “What’s been going on in the last few months?”</p><p>“Well,” Kaiya started, “I finished school for the semester so I have more free time, I visited my mom in America, then when I got back, I found out that Hiei and the guys are on another case and they wouldn’t give me any details, so I’ve been training on my own or hanging out here with Bulma, and unfortunately her ex.  He’s so annoying.”</p><p>Vegeta growled and rolled his eyes.  “So that weakling is finally back.  Great.  He’s such an idiot from what I remember of him.”</p><p>“Oh, he’s an idiot alright,” Kaiya agreed.  “He hit on me in front of Hiei…to be funny.  I was not amused.”</p><p>Vegeta just shook his head.  “Has he been here a lot?”</p><p>“You could say that,” Kaiya said carefully.  “He kind of lives here right now.  Something about not paying his rent while he was dead and such…he had no home to go home too, and, until baseball season starts up again, he’s pretty much screwed.”</p><p>Vegeta grimaced, not liking the idea of sharing a home with a weakling, especially one he killed and couldn’t stand from only moments of knowing him.  He also did not like the idea of the scarred warrior hitting on his sister.  He would definitely be keeping an eye on him.</p><p>“Come on, let’s go,” Kaiya called out, tugging on Vegeta’s arm.  “You’re probably hungry, and it’s been a while since you’ve been home.”</p><p><em>Home, </em>Vegeta thought to himself.  It was such a foreign concept for him, but one he was willing to accept for the time being, as long as that meant getting to know his sister more.  They hadn’t really spent that much time together since their memories had been unlocked.  It was time to change that.</p><p>“Sounds like a plan, sister,” he stated, feeling lighthearted when she grinned and nuzzled against him.</p><p>She responded in a whisper, “I missed you, big brother.  It wasn’t the same without you.”  Vegeta simply nodded in response as the two of them started walking out of the ship, Kaiya walking in front of him.  When they were out of the ship he saw Bulma and Yamcha staring at him.  Bulma seemed to be pondering something, but Yamcha got into a fighting stance.  Vegeta scoffed, almost laughing, at how pathetic he looked.</p><p>“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here, Vegeta,” Yamcha growled.</p><p>“You do realize he was invited here, right?” Kaiya asked before Vegeta could retort.</p><p>Bulma looked directly to Vegeta and smiled at him.  Before any kind of argument rang out between the weakling and his sister, Bulma said, “Good to see you, but I can smell you all the way from over here.  You need a bath.”</p><p>Vegeta was appalled by her just coming out with such a statement.  He looked over to Kaiya who just giggled before Bulma walked over to him and poked a finger at his chest.  “Follow me,” she ordered.  The Saiyan prince just grumbled and put his hands on his hips, pouting as he followed her inside.</p><p>“What just happened?” Yamcha asked Kaiya after Bulma and Vegeta were out of earshot.</p><p>Kaiya ignored him and just went inside, leaving Yamcha in a stunned silence in the backyard of Capsule Corp.  He looked over to the spaceship which looked pretty beat up.  Cringing at the fact that wherever Vegeta had gone must have been incredibly dangerous, he decided to head inside too.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya waited outside with Yamcha and Bulma as they waited for Vegeta to finish showering.  Bulma was making barbeque while talking with Kaiya, Yamcha feeling a little misplaced even though Krillin had shown up.</p><p>“So Kaiya,” Bulma started, “I don’t know if you and your brother have similar tastes, but what do you think he likes.”</p><p>“Well, I know if all else fails, you can never have too much barbeque sauce, at least with me,” the girl replied with a smile.  Kaiya had become a lot closer to Bulma and no longer felt out of sorts or shy around the older woman.  If anything, she felt like Bulma had become her best friend and confidant.</p><p>“Alright, then, I’ll just-“</p><p>“Woman!  Where the hell are my clothes?”</p><p>“Well, sounds like someone just got out of the shower,” Bulma muttered.  Kaiya just looked into the house in the direction of the bathroom.  “They were torn and needed to be washed, but I left some clothes for you on the counter!”</p><p>“Uh, what…Are these clothes for a man or for a woman?  I’m a warrior, not some variety of flower!” they heard him yell.  Bulma started laughing quietly.</p><p>“Bulma, what did you do?” Kaiya asked her.</p><p>“Oh, you’ll see, Kaiya,” she replied.  “He’s finally going to get a little color in his wardrobe.</p><p>Kaiya’s brow quirked up in question at Bulma’s antics, but when her brother walked out of the room sporting bright yellow pants and a pink top, Kaiya couldn’t help but burst out laughing.  Bulma joined her, especially after she said, “Well, at least you smell good.”</p><p>Vegeta eyes narrowed at the two girls, but noticed the fearful look on both Krillin’s and Yamcha’s faces.  The weakling looked as if he were debating on whether to attack.  Vegeta did not understand why.  His expression simply screamed “what are you looking at?” causing Yamcha to avert his eyes.</p><p>“Um, guys, you probably shouldn’t be laughing,” Yamcha stated before the two girls started trying to calm down.</p><p>Kaiya wiped a tear from her eye.  “Why?  It’s hysterical,” she said.  “I mean, honestly, if I hate the color pink so much, I can only assume Geta hates it even more.”</p><p>Vegeta looked over to Kaiya who was now forcing herself not to laugh.  He grinned at her, surprising Yamcha, as he moved to sit down next to her.  Yamcha was shocked that he didn’t retaliate or attack either of the girls, Kaiya being his sister or not.  He expected him to lose it and harm them, but now the killer he had come to know looked more laid back than he ever could have imagined.</p><p>Lunch was nice as everyone was engaged in conversation.  Vegeta wasn’t that engaged, grunting occasionally in response to a question.  He responded more with words to Kaiya at times.  Bulma acted as if it were a normal occurrence to see Vegeta acting this way, but Krillin and Yamcha, having never seen him around Kaiya, were shocked.  The cold-hearted Saiyan seemed to have a soft spot for his sister.</p><p>“So anyways, then finals came and went and I was thankful to get the heck out of there,” Kaiya said finishing up a story about her semester.  “Don’t get me wrong, the classes were great, but if I have another teacher that says birds are these amazing animals like the guy who said if they had a thinking brain they’d rule us, I’m going to skip that class.”</p><p>“Birds…taking over?” Vegeta asked incredulously.  “What the hell do they teach you at this college place?”</p><p>“Well, if we go by two semesters ago, my teacher kind of told us how to dispose of a dead body…” Kaiya trailed off.  “Yeah, I have some interesting teachers.”</p><p>Vegeta just shook his head when she mentioned that last teacher.  “You sure this place is safe for you?”</p><p>Kaiya looked at him, about to laugh, but she saw the seriousness of his expression.  He didn’t realize that this wasn’t another facility like the one she had been training at as a child run by Frieza.  Then she smiled at him and took his hand.  “Don’t worry; it’s not that kind of place, and the teacher only told us that little bit of information based off of the science of tissue degradation, not from experience.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded, somewhat understanding.  “If you get into any trouble there, you know how to get my attention,” was all he said as a response.</p><p>Krillin’s shock regarding Vegeta’s character and relationship with his sister had been gone by that point, but Yamcha was still astonished when he saw and heard Vegeta acting so calmly and, dare he say, protective around Kaiya.  Then, everyone’s eyes widened, except for Bulma, when they sensed a strong energy source.</p><p>“No,” Vegeta muttered under his breath.  “Kakarot failed.  He’s still alive.”</p><p>At hearing Vegeta’s words, Kaiya looked up at her now standing brother and asked very carefully, “Who is, Geta?”</p><p>The prince shook his head.  It was bad enough Frieza was still alive, but now Kaiya had been found and he had a feeling Frieza would not react well to the two of them being together, freed up memories of what he had done and all.  “Frieza,” he reluctantly admitted to her.</p><p>Kaiya paled when she heard that name.  She shook her head before any of the memories could come back.  “I…I didn’t think he was still alive…I mean, you being here and all, I just assumed he was gone.”</p><p>The fear in her voice was evident.  Even Krillin and Yamcha could hear it.  “Bulma, I think you and Kaiya should stay here,” Krillin suggested.</p><p>“Are you out of your mind?” Bulma asked.  “I didn’t get a chance to see this guy on Namek.  I want to see what the big deal is.”  Truthfully, and both Vegeta and Kaiya had known this, she had seen her fair share of Frieza from their memories.  The real reason she wanted to go, that Kaiya could pick up on, was that she was worried about the two Saiyans that had the misfortune of being prisoners on Frieza’s ship.</p><p>“Fine,” Vegeta said calmly, though he too was panicked about seeing his former master again.  He looked to Kaiya and his face softened.  “If things look bad, you leave, understand?”  Kaiya frowned, but nodded.  “Good.  Now let’s go.”</p><hr/><p>“Okay guys,” Yusuke muttered, “why are we out in the mountains?  Don’t we get enough nature at Grandma’s?”</p><p>“Shut up, detective,” Hiei bit out.  “We’re here because of a job.  Koenma said that his scouts found demons hunters out here.”</p><p>“I take it you haven’t told Kaiya yet,” Kurama stated.  When Hiei didn’t respond, Kurama spoke again.  “I’m right, aren’t I?”</p><p>“Kaiya doesn’t need to know that the demon hunters did not disband,” Hiei retorted.  “She only recently got over Jiro.  The last thing we need is for her to relapse.  She’s finally happy.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, hopefully we won’t have to tell her,” Kuwabara stated, understanding the fire demon’s desire to keep this a secret.  “If we can stop them from whatever they’re doing, she never has to know.”</p><p>“Still, I have a bad feeling about this,” Kuronue mentioned.  “I don’t want to think about what this premonition could be.”</p><p>“Let’s just find those assholes,” Yusuke said punching his fist into his opposite hand.  Just then, the five boys sensed a strong aura.  “Um, what the hell was that?”  He saw that Hiei was staring at a darkened sky in confusion and question.  “Hiei, what’s wrong?”</p><p>“That’s impossible,” he growled out.  “Someone is using Dragon Balls.”  Out of nowhere, both Yusuke and Kuwabara started cracking up.  “What the hell is so funny?” he screamed at the two.</p><p>“What about your dragon, Hiei?” Yusuke asked.  “I wasn’t aware the Dragon of the Darkness Flame had-“  He couldn’t even finish his perverted joke because he was laughing so hard.</p><p>“I’m not talking about that!” he snapped.  “I’m talking about these objects that Kaiya’s brother’s…for lack of a better term, friends, used to bring their other friends back to life.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Yusuke asked growing serious.  “Man Koenma must be PO’ed with all of these people coming back to life just like that.”</p><p>“That’s what Kaiya and I said, but not the point.  That,” he said pointing into the direction of the dark cloud, “is where the dragon has been summoned, and that means someone is making a wish.”</p><p>“That doesn’t bode well for us,” Kurama stated.  He was met with many questioning glance, except for Kuronue who had the same mindset as his former thieving partner.  “Think about it.  Demon hunters have brought these Dragon Balls together to make a wish, and they have the power to bring people back to life.  Who do you think the demon hunters would resurrect?”</p><p>“Their leader, most likely,” Kuwabara stated, not truly grasping the meaning of what he just said.  Hiei’s eyes widened, and he looked like someone had just stolen his soul.  “Uh, shorty, you okay?”</p><p>“Oh my God,” Yusuke breathed out.  “They’re going to bring Jiro back, aren’t they?”</p><p>The dark cloud disappeared, and they knew that if that had been what the wish was, they were too late to stop it.</p><p>“We need to go warn Kaiya,” Kuwabara said in a panic.</p><p>“No, not yet,” Hiei growled as he clenched his fists.  “I need to see him for myself.  I do not want to frighten or upset her, especially if we are not even sure what they wished for.”</p><p>“I’m with Hiei on this,” Kuronue replied.  “The last thing I want to do is tell Alexia that her psychotic uncle who put them in classes where they were trained to fight each other is alive.”</p><p>“Those were classes for the two of them to become killers,” Hiei reminded Kuronue.  “Now that they know that, I have even less of a desire to tell them the bastard is back.”</p><p>“Fine,” Kurama agreed.  “We will go scout out the area of where we saw that dark cloud, and hopefully our worst fear has not been realized.”</p><hr/><p>Vegeta and Kaiya made it to a wasteland before the other Z fighters and Bulma started showing up.  Frieza’s presence was nearing closer to the planet, and Vegeta wasn’t sure how thrilled he was with the idea of his former master and tormentor showing up just after he returned.  Something was amiss, he felt.  There was no way it was a coincidence.  He looked over to his sister who seemed trapped in her thoughts. He wasn’t too happy with the fact that she was there either.  If Frieza knew they had found each other and regained their memories, there was no telling what he would do to either of them for his sick amusement.</p><p>“How long until he gets here?” Kaiya asked hesitantly.</p><p>“A few minutes tops,” Vegeta replied.  “If you’re worried, it might be best for you to leave.”</p><p>“No way,” Kaiya said shooting him a heated look.  “There’s no way I’m leaving you alone with him again.”</p><p>Vegeta didn’t know how to respond to that, but he didn’t get the chance to when he saw his sister’s friends heading to the wasteland.</p><p>“Kaiya!” Yusuke called out in worry.  “You’re not going to believe this.”</p><p>“Huh?” Kaiya whispered in surprise.  “Guys, what are you doing here?  How did you know where to…wait, Jagan, never mind.  What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Kaiya,” Hiei said cautiously.  “There’s something you need to know.”</p><p>“Well, well, well,” a male voice spoke up.  “I thought I sensed demons nearby.  And look, it’s a party.  I do enjoy parties.”</p><p>Kaiya’s face became white as a sheet, and Vegeta noticed fear in her eyes having heard the voice.  “Impossible,” she said before turning around.  That was when she saw her human father.  “You…you can’t be here.  You died.”</p><p>Jiro glared at the girl and growled out, “Being killed isn’t the same as dying.”</p><p>“Like you have the right to talk,” Yusuke scoffed.  “I guess we should have realized you were tailing us.”</p><p>“Um guys,” Bulma said, “I’m sure you know what’s going on, but none of us do, so care to explain?”</p><p>Kaiya looked over to Bulma, fear still evident in her eyes, as well as tears.  Then it finally hit Vegeta.</p><p>“You’re Jiro,” he said quietly.</p><p>The man in question looked over to Vegeta.  His face gave hints to the fact that he was appalled that Vegeta was even speaking to him.  Then he gave the Saiyan a once over and recognition finally flashed on his face.  At first, Jiro started chuckling before laughing manically.  “I should have known that Lord Frieza’s little memory erasing stunt wouldn’t work.  Wow, it’s surprising how much you look like your father.  Tell me, how exactly did you two come across each other?”</p><p>“B-Bulma, wh-what is he talking about?” Gohan asked.  “Does he know Vegeta and Kaiya?”</p><p>“Kid, you do not want to know,” Bulma voiced with evident animosity.  She couldn’t believe that Jiro was alive again.  Part of her wanted to know how it happened, but that didn’t matter that moment.  What did matter was that a man who cause the destruction of Planet Vegeta and Kaiya’s death happened to return on the day the tyrant, who tormented both of them and had killed Vegeta, was about to land.  She looked over to Vegeta and saw that he was barely reigning in his emotions, and she could hardly blame him.  If she had the strength Vegeta did, she’d want to rip this guy in half for what he had done to his child.</p><p>“You,” Vegeta said darkly.  “How dare you?”  Vegeta was literally shaking with rage at the sight of the spineless coward in front of him.  This was the man who suggested the destruction of Planet Vegeta to Frieza, the weakling that traded his daughter’s life for protection against the space tyrant.  “You caused this mess.”</p><p>“What mess?” Jiro sneered at the Saiyan.  He smirked, though, when he saw that his daughter still had her fearful eyes on him.  He refrained from chuckling at the hold he had on her and the impression he had made.  “I tried to clean up a mess.  Too bad she managed to escape her death.”</p><p>Kaiya cringed when she heard her father’s hateful words.  She had to shake her head to keep control of herself.  “Wait,” she heard Yamcha say, “you killed her?”</p><p>“Who the hell are you?” Jiro asked the human fighter.  “No one of importance, I assume.”</p><p>“Neither are you,” Piccolo spoke up finally.  “At least, not from what I can tell from your power level.  You’re even weaker than our weakest fighter.”</p><p>“No,” Kaiya responded.  Now all eyes were on her, including Jiro’s.  She met his eyes were her gaze.  “No, he’s not.  He has abilities you can’t sense by sensing ki.  The ability to fly, which isn’t a big deal to you guys, but also the use of electricity and to force one into attack and then having it backfire on them.  It was the electricity that got me.”</p><p>Both Hiei’s and Vegeta’s eyes widened, but for different reasons.  Hiei was shocked that Kaiya was speaking so openly about her death.  Months had gone by and this was the first time she was able to talk about it without hyperventilating or crying.  The fire demon would have been a lot happier in this moment if the one who caused her inner turmoil wasn’t standing right in front of them.</p><p>Vegeta, on the other hand, could not believe what Jiro had done, especially because he hadn’t seen those memories.  He now realized that the telepathy hadn’t given him the full story.  Also, she had stated that Jiro had used electrical attacks against her.  From his time with Frieza, Vegeta knew very well that Saiyans and electricity did not mix well, though he did not know why.</p><p>Everyone froze and tensed for a split second as Frieza’s energy got even closer and a ship came into view.  “He’s here!” Piccolo called out.</p><p>“Just great,” Vegeta muttered under his breath.  He saw recognition and fear flash on Jiro’s face.  Obviously knew the “he” in question that was landing on the planet.  “You can sense energy too, can’t you?”</p><p>“Humph, what’s it to you, Saiyan?” Jiro questioned spitefully.</p><p>Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the man.  He was about to retort when he saw Hiei rushing over to Kaiya.  Worry consumed the older Saiyan when he saw his sister kneeling on the ground shaking slightly in fear.</p><p>“Kaiya, are you okay?” Hiei asked her seriously forcing her to look at him.</p><p>“Y-yeah,” she lied.  “It’s just too much…Jiro, Frieza…both here at the same time.  And that energy…there’s no way that someone that strong exists.”</p><p>“Well, it’s been fun here, but I will be taking my leave,” Jiro spoke up.  He looked over to Kaiya.  “But remember <em>daughter</em>, this isn’t over.”</p><p>Jiro disappeared in a flash leaving the spirit detective gang to process his threat.  Hiei helped Kaiya up from the ground, the girl refusing to let go of him once they were standing.  “Don’t worry,” Hiei said softly.  “I will not let him hurt you again.”</p><p>“You don’t really have control over him, Hiei,” Kaiya sighed, “but thank you.  It means a lot.”</p><p>“Okay, guys, seriously, what the hell just happened?” Yamcha asked.</p><p>Kaiya glared over to him, though it was more in annoyance.  “Drop it,” she snapped.  “We have bigger things to worry about right now, or did you forget the sadistic space tyrant that just landed on our planet?”</p><p>“Um guys?” Gohan spoke up looking over to where Frieza’s ship had landed.  “Did anyone else feel that new energy?”</p><p>“New energy?” Kuwabara questioned.  “Look kid, I don’t know what energy you’re talking about.  I have spiritual awareness and I didn’t pick up on anything.”</p><p>“That’s because it’s not spirit or demon energy,” Kaiya explained.  “It’s like actual energy that you can see.  Some have the abilities to destroy planets with it, like Frieza does.”</p><p>“Yeah right,” Yusuke scoffed.  “This I’ve gotta see.”</p><p>“You’re an idiot,” Hiei muttered.  “It’s not something you want to see.”</p><p>“Um, guys,” Krillin interrupted, “that other energy just kind of took out Frieza and the other guys he was with.”</p><p>“What?” Vegeta asked having been distracted from the battle by his sister’s friends.</p><p>“We need to go check this out,” Tien declared.  “We have no idea who this guy is.”</p><p>“Well, he took out Frieza,” Kaiya replied.  “He can’t be too bad, right?”</p><p>“We don’t know that,” Piccolo told her.  “Maybe it’s better you stay here with your friends.”</p><p>Kaiya frowned at the Namekian.  “Look, I get that I was freaked out, but you can’t exactly blame me when my kidnapper and murderer decided to show up at the exact same time…one of which happens to be my father.”</p><p>“How is that possible if you’re Vegeta’s sister?” Yamcha asked.</p><p>“It’s a long story,” both Kaiya and Bulma said simultaneously.</p><p>“We’ll hear it later,” Piccolo muttered.  “Let’s go.”</p><p>“Well, the green guy is cheery,” Yusuke joked.  Both Kaiya and Hiei flashed him a glare before following the Z fighters.  The two fire demons looked to each other in silent conversation before nodding to each other.  Kaiya smiled and decided to follow her brother in flight.  The two of them stayed silent about the day’s events, but knew they would be having a conversation later.</p><hr/><p>A few hours later and Kaiya and Hiei had returned to her apartment with Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Kuronue in tow.  “You don’t have to worry about me, guys,” Kaiya sighed.  “I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“Isn’t that what you said last time?” Yusuke retorted.  He instantly regretted it when he saw Kaiya’s face become sad.  “Oh come on, Kaiya…I didn’t mean it like that.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Kaiya replied.  She looked over to the rest of her friends and said, “Look, I’ll be okay.  Hiei is with me and Vegeta has been training me.  But what about your families?  Jiro knows all about all of you, remember?  Kurama, your mother has no clue about any of this.  He could easily introduce himself as my father and she would think none the wiser.  Kuronue, Mayonaka and Alexia are living alone.  He can easily track them both down.  Yusuke, you have to worry about your mother and Keiko.  Kuwabara has to worry about his sister.”  Kaiya hated pointing out all of these things and potential places her father could strike.  “He’s not above killing his own,” she continued.  “I don’t trust him with Maya or Alexia, and I definitely don’t trust him regarding all of your families, so please, just go.  I’ll make sure I lock the doors and windows, okay?”</p><p>No one said anything, all six of them staring back and forth between one another.  Kuronue sighed and finally spoke up first.  “Kurama, you really should get back to your mother, step-brother, and step-father.  It’s bad enough demons went after them in the past.  I’m sure you want to avoid demon hunters cluing them in on your life.”</p><p>“Yes, Kaiya makes and excellent point,” Kurama agreed.  He turned to face the girl, his serious and deadly expression never disappearing.  “Are you sure you will be all right?  I can leave plants here to defend in case Jiro does show up.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  “I can live with that.  Thank you.”</p><p>“Of course,” Kurama replied before heading towards the door.  He looked back to Kuronue who said to Kaiya, “I will make sure Mayonaka and Alexia are safe.  If the bastard shows up, you’ll be the first to know.” He followed Kurama out of the apartment, both demons wanting to get to their loved ones to protect them from harm.</p><p>Hiei glared at Yusuke and Kuwabara.  “Well?  She said you could go, now go.”</p><p>“Man, Hiei, if you wanted alone time with you girlfriend, you should just ask,” Yusuke attempted to joke, although it sounded strained with worry.  “We’re only a phone call away if something happens.”</p><p>“We know,” Kaiya replied giving the two of them a quick hug.  “Now go.  You have families that need protecting.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Yusuke muttered, though he knew she was right.  “Take care you two.”</p><p>And then there were two left in the apartment, neither speaking as Hiei walked over to Kaiya and wrapped his arms around her.  “We should get some rest.”</p><p>“Right,” Kaiya answered as they walked into her room.  Neither knew that at the moment there was a Saiyan outside the apartment making sure that no human would be able to break in.</p><p>“Well, today was crazy.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei scoffed with a bitter chuckle.  “Understatement.”</p><p>Kaiya let out a slight chuckle.  “Yeah, I guess it is.”  After they had gone to where Frieza’s ship was, they saw a teenager standing there.  The boy had singlehandedly taken out Frieza, his father, and their soldiers and even said that Goku would be returning.  They sat around waiting for the Saiyan’s arrival while, as Kaiya noticed, the boy kept staring at Vegeta intently.  Vegeta didn’t react too well to being gawked at and snapped at the boy.  The nameless teen just blushed and respectfully replied.  Kaiya actually kind of liked the boy.  He seemed very familiar to her, though she had never met him.</p><p>Then Goku’s ship had landed, and he and the boy flew off further away to discuss something.  It was revealed that Trunks could go Super Saiyan, as well as Goku.  Kaiya could see in her brother’s eyes the jealousy he felt towards both Saiyans.  She had heard him talk many times about becoming a Super Saiyan and she knew that he desired the transformation more than anything.  It was his dream and he strived for it, and she could understand that ideology.  Her dream was something on a very minor scale, but she worked incredibly hard, passed her limits, to make it come true.  It just meant that he was determined.</p><p>Goku then explained to everyone, with Piccolo who had overheard everything, that three years later, they would have to fight a bunch of androids and the boy came from a future where all the Z fighters died.  The story was strange, but there was no way that Kaiya or her friends were going to stay out of something that would affect the entire human race.  The group offered to help and they planned to train along with the Z fighters over the course of the next three years.</p><p>Then they had returned to Kaiya’s apartment, knowing that Jiro was out there now.  Unfortunately, now that one nuisance was gone, two more filled his place.  It felt like they couldn’t win.  The truth was that things were going to get a lot more hectic.  In fact, Hiei was supposed to be training with Vegeta the next day.  Kaiya had wanted to tag along but both men told her they had things they needed to discuss.  Still, neither liked the idea of her being alone, so Bulma had invited her to go with her to the Son household.  Despite Vegeta’s dislike towards the Son family, he knew his sister would be kept safe.  He needed to test Hiei and he couldn’t do it around his sister.  This was a fight between men, and Vegeta was going to make sure Hiei was strong enough to be with his sister.</p><p>Speaking of which, outside Vegeta had found one unlocked window into another room in the apartment and went inside so he could lock it.  He knew his sister wouldn’t mind his presence there, but he still had no desire to be found.  His chances for leaving were limited though because he didn’t want to unlock anything and leave it unlocked.</p><p>“I just don’t know what to do,” he heard his sister say.  His curiosity was peaked and he moved closer into the hallway to hear what she was saying and who she was talking to.</p><p>“It’s going to be okay,” Hiei’s voice spoke up.  The fire demon seemed uncharacteristically calm from the few times Vegeta had seen him.  “We know that Jiro is the enemy this time.  We won’t randomly have another bombshell like that, nor will you be going out on you own to mope.”</p><p>Kaiya scoffed, making Vegeta frown.  Hiei had obviously insulted his sister somehow.  He wished that he had known the full story, but with the news of the androids, he and Kaiya had not had the chance to talk.  He still knew nothing about Jiro except that he was the one who suggest Planet Vegeta’s destruction and that he had harmed his sister.  Neither sat well with the prince, and, had Kaiya not been traumatized by his arrival and Frieza had not been on the planet, Vegeta would not have given it a second thought to tear the man to shreds.  At least he would have the opportunity again since the man had threatened his return.</p><p>He heard Kaiya sigh after a moment of silence.  “I just didn’t want to talk about it then, Hiei.  I mean, what was I supposed to say?  ‘I’m sorry guys that my father wants to destroy all of you, but please don’t hate me?’”</p><p>“Of course you didn’t have to say that,” Hiei growled.  “Jiro used you to get information on us, however minor.  You had NO idea that he knew us and recognized our names.  You were just talking with your father as his daughter, not as someone plotting against us.  How could we hate someone who went against her father just to stay with us, who was then terminated for making said choice?  We never blamed you for any of it.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya replied with uncertainty.  “It’s just…how can you guys not even feel a little bit of animosity towards me.  All of this is my fault.”</p><p>Vegeta nearly growled at hearing his sister take blame for something she played no part in, but Hiei beat him to the punch.  “Listen to me,” he said sternly.  “I’m only going to say this once.  Jiro caused all of this.  He’s the one that toyed with your life.  You were a baby, and he traded you over to some sick fuck that tormented people, including children, for a living.  You did not ‘cause’ any of this.  It was all his actions.  He may have blamed you for it, but believe me when I say there is nothing you could have done to change what he did.  He would have made the decisions regardless of whether it was you or someone else.  Do NOT blame yourself for his misdeeds.”</p><p>“H-Hiei,” Kaiya stuttered.  Vegeta could hear the strain I his sister’s voice and he knew she was crying.  His thoughts were confirmed as he started to hear the sobs.  He heard shuffling of blankets and moved closer to the door.  There he saw Kaiya curled into her boyfriend, sobbing against his chest as he awkwardly patted her back.</p><p>“Sh, Kaiya,” he whispered softly.  “I’m here, and you are safe.  I swear to you that no one will lay a finger on you as long as I am still breathing.”</p><p>Kaiya looked up to her boyfriend, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.  Hiei grimaced at her and Vegeta thought that it had something to do with the fact that she was crying at all.  Then Hiei started wiping her tears away so gently that Vegeta realized that it couldn’t be that.  “Please stop,” Hiei said with a hoarse voice.  “You know I can’t stand it when either of you cry.”</p><p>Kaiya choked back on a half-sobbed laugh.  “I’m sorry,” she said while trying to dry her face.  “I really do try not to.”</p><p>“You don’t have to apologize,” Hiei reiterated.  “I just don’t like it.”</p><p>Vegeta clenched his fists.  Even though he too couldn’t stand his sister showing any kind of weakness, he still dealt with it as kindly as he could being a hardened killed.  He felt enraged at the fact that his sister’s boyfriend was treating her with disrespect for showing weakness.  As a Saiyan princess, she did not deserve it.  It was not her fault she was raised on a weak planet such as Earth.  But then he softened when he heard Kaiya ask, “You’re never going to get over Yukina’s kidnapping, are you?”</p><p>Hiei sighed in frustration and shook his head.  “The only reason I didn’t kill that bastard was because she stopped me.  I still have the desire, but seeing as he was killed by Toguro, I’ll never get that chance.  Of course I will never get over it.  I couldn’t find her, Kaiya.  He blocked my ability to track her as he tortured her for her tears.  Even if yours don’t crystalize like an ice maiden’s, I still can’t stand tears because it just reminds me that I had failed my sister for those months.  I should have been there to protect her, but instead I had to cause trouble in Human World that Koenma imprisoned me for.”</p><p>Kaiya placed her finger on Hiei’s lips, effectively silencing him.  “You were in a different place then,” she said with complete understanding.  “And Yukina is safe now at Genkai’s, completely protected from all outside forces.  Tarukane is gone and no one is coming after her for her tears again, and even if they did, believe me, they have an army to get through.  None of us will let anyone hurt her.”</p><p>Hiei’s hand found Kaiya’s, their fingers laced together as he pulled her in for a short kiss.  “Thank you,” he whispered against her lips.  “Now, about all of this other craziness…”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  “I don’t know what to think.  I mean, I just started believing aliens existed, and now time travel and androids…it was so much simpler with crazy demons running around.”</p><p>“Are you worried?” Hiei asked delicately.</p><p>“Actually, no not really,” Kaiya answered honestly.  “I’m more worried about Jiro.  I mean, androids are just machines, right?”</p><p>Hiei shrugged.  “You are asking the wrong demon,” he muttered.  “This is the stuff from those science fiction movies Suki loved so much.”</p><p>“Hey, I like sci-fi, too,” Kaiya defended.  “Just not the alien and predator movies.  They were way too long and gross.”</p><p>“Humans are strange,” Hiei confirmed.  “So far with alien races I have not seen aliens that reproduce using humans in some strange parasitic relationship.”</p><p>Kaiya laughed, now completely relaxed.  “Very true,” she chirped with a smile before leaning against Hiei again.  “Good night, koi,” she cooed as she felt his fingers massaging her scalp and running them through her hair.</p><p>“Good night,” he whispered back to her as he let her go.  She whimpered slightly, not wanting to be alone, but he just stroked her hair.  “I’ll be back.  Just going to make sure my window is locked.  I don’t want you leaving it unlocked anymore, got it?”</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  “I’ll give you Mika’s old key in the morning.  Hm, maybe I should give Vegeta Suki’s key so he can check up on me too.”</p><p>Hiei simply nodded before leaving the room.  He was not shocked that Vegeta was standing face to face with him in the hallway.  The fire demon motioned for Vegeta to follow him into the room where the unlocked window had been and shut the door.</p><p>“If you have any questions you better ask them now before out fight tomorrow,” Hiei stated.</p><p>Vegeta’s brow quirked in amusement.  “And you knew I was going to challenge you how?” he asked.</p><p>“My Jagan eye allows me telepathic abilities,” Hiei explained.  “It’s how I was able to track Kaiya down earlier, and how I am able to hold conversations with her.  It is also how I was able to read your mind on what you plans were for tomorrow, and why I agreed that Kaiya should not be there to witness it.”</p><p>“Interesting,” Vegeta replied curtly.  “Kaiya has telepathic abilities as well.  How?”</p><p>Hiei shrugged.  “Her demon ancestor.  It’s in her blood.  Now, is there anything you want to ask?”</p><p>“No,” Vegeta scoffed.  “I’ve heard enough.  Tomorrow will answer my remaining questions.”</p><p>Hiei smirked.  “Fair enough.  I will see you out, unless you want to stay.  This is usually the room I stay in when I am here, but Kaiya does not want to be alone.”</p><p>“What are your intentions with her?” Vegeta bit out in irritation.  He did not like the idea of Hiei sharing a bed with his sister.</p><p>“Relax,” Hiei said calmly.  “We’ve shared a bed before, and we’ve never taken that step.  Tonight will not be that night.  As for my intentions with you sister, I will only say this once to you, as she has only heard it once.  I love her, and even if I don’t say it, she knows it.  I make sure that she does.”</p><p>“You better,” Vegeta grunted.  “I will stay.”</p><p>Hiei nodded.  “I’ll let her know.  Good night.”</p><p>Hiei left the room and Vegeta felt something strange.  He couldn’t help but actually like Hiei’s attitude.  The demon stood up to him, never backing down, and admitted that he was more similar to him.  The Saiyan prince hated to admit it but, if anyone was better suited for her sister, it would be him…provided he was strong.  Vegeta would not allow a weakling to mate his sister.  The Saiyan smirked again thinking about the next day.  Oh yes, tomorrow would give him his answer, and he was looking forward to it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: Last chapter was filler, this one was plot development.  Next bonding and training and Kaiya meets Goku :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 8 -Unexpected Friendships</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own YYH, DBZ, or the characters…only my OCs</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If there was one thing Kaiya hated, it was long car rides, and being really high up in an airplane that could fall out of the sky at any minute, so driving in some type of cramped air car with Bulma in the mountains was not her idea of a good time.  Kaiya would have rather flown, but she had no idea how to get there, and she was still learning how to control her ki for flight.  Still, she kept silent the majority of the ride while ignoring the concerned looks Bulma flashed her way.</p><p>“So, this Kakarot guy…why does my brother hate him so much?” Kaiya asked Bulma in attempts to break the awkward silence.</p><p>Bulma sighed in frustration before answering the young girl.  “Well, he says Goku is a ‘low-class warrior,’ and the fact that he was defeated by him pisses him off.  Also, Goku became a Super Saiyan first, so that’s another thing that bothers your brother.”</p><p>“Super Saiyan?” Kaiya asked, intrigued that someone had actually achieved that state.  Her brother had not told her about the full legend yet, and that actually surprised Bulma.  She knew Kaiya knew a little about it, though.</p><p>“Yeah…he trains so hard to try to reach that level,” Bulma explained.  “Keep this between us, but I sometimes worry about how he trains in the GR.  He’s going to hurt himself if he doesn’t take a break.  I mean, he rarely sleeps.”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t know what to say to that, so she just nodded and watched the trees yield to rocky mountaintops down below them.  She understood the reason Vegeta hated to sleep.  It was pretty much the same reason she had trouble sleeping.  Dreams of the past and memories would keep Kaiya up at night, if she could even wake up from the dream.  Usually Hiei had to force her awake if he was there and that alone left her even more exhausted.  But she did worry about Vegeta, and would have to have a conversation with him at some point.  He had convinced himself he didn’t need much sleep and, at this stage in his life, he probably didn’t.  He did, however, need to relax.  Maybe he would listen to her if she told him to take a break.  She had some ideas on things they could do and trips they could take.</p><p>Eventually, the mountains became a forested area again and Bulma’s air car started its descent.  A small home could be seen in the middle of the forest, invisible to anyone that flew overhead.  Kaiya assumed it was Goku’s, or Kakarot’s house.  Even though Bulma kept calling him Goku, Kaiya felt like she needed to respect her brother and call the other Saiyan by his Saiyan name.  She only hoped that the Earth-raised Saiyan wouldn’t mind that.</p><p>When the car landed, Gohan and Goku came outside, both with smiling faces.  Kaiya smiled nervously, having only seen Goku when he returned and not interacting with him.  Now he was welcoming her into his home for the day, and she was thankful.  It was much safer than being alone at her apartment.</p><p>Kaiya stepped out of the air car, thankful to be stretching her legs.  She looked over to see the smiling faces of her brother’s rival and his son, shy smiling back at them.</p><p>“Hi there,” Goku greeted.  “So my son and Bulma have been talking about a Kaiya.  I guess that’s you.  Sorry we weren’t really introduced yesterday.”</p><p>“That’s okay,” Kaiya replied softly.  “A lot was going on yesterday.  I just wanted to go home.”</p><p>Goku frowned slightly and said, “Yeah, my son told me what happened right before I landed…not to mention Frieza being there.  You okay?”</p><p>Kaiya nodded and looked down, still not sure how she felt.  She had spent a long time trying to get over how Jiro had attacked her.  Sometimes she could still remember the feeling of the electricity destroying her from the inside.  Looking up, she saw Goku and Bulma staring at her with both worry and confusion.  “Um, yeah, I’m fine,” Kaiya lied.  Truthfully, she hated those flashback moments, especially when she checked out of reality because of them.  Had she been driving a car, she would hate to think of the outcome.  Usually, if they could, her friends would try to shake her out of it before something bad happened.  “It was just a shock, I guess.  It’s been almost a year…”</p><p>“I kind of wish it had been longer than that,” Bulma spoke up.  “If they had waited just a bit longer, then they wouldn’t have been able to.  You can only wish someone who has been dead a year back to life on Earth’s Dragon Balls.”</p><p>Realization dawned on Goku when they were talking about the year.  “You mean to tell me that everything that happened with your father happened the same time we fought Frieza on Namek?”</p><p>“I…guess?” Kaiya replied unsurely.  “Vegeta doesn’t know when it happened, nor did he tell me when you guys were on Namek.  I’ve heard random stories.  Why?  Is there something I should know?”</p><p>Goku and Bulma looked to each other nervously before Gohan ran over to Kaiya and took her hand.  “I want to show you something,” he said.  “Do you like climbing trees?”</p><p>Kaiya smiled at the little boy and nodded.  “I love climbing trees,” she admitted.  “Let’s go.”</p><p>Gohan took off somewhere with Kaiya looking back at his father before engaging himself in a race with her.  Bulma looked to Goku and sighed.  “Someone has to tell her about what happened on Namek.”</p><p>“That someone has to be Vegeta,” Goku replied.  “He wouldn’t like it if we told his sister what Frieza did to him.”</p><p>“I know you’re right, but what it’s sounding like…did the two of them die around the same time?” Bulma asked her friend.</p><p>“I don’t know for sure, but that’s what it’s sounding like,” Goku answered.  “I guess we’ll find out when they both open up.”</p><p>Bulma wanted to bang her head against a wall when he said that.  If that’s what they were waiting on, it would never happen.  Vegeta would never fully open up, and Kaiya obviously still had issues talking about what happened to her.  Her curiosity was going to have to be left unsettled for a while as they waited for the two royal Saiyans to heal.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta found Hiei working on his swordsmanship and then watched as he made sure the sword was sharp and polished.  Hiei definitely seemed like a noble warrior, which was one point in his favor, but the Saiyan prince still didn’t trust him with his sister’s life especially when his sister’s murderer was at large.  They still needed to choose where they would be fighting so that they would have no interruptions, but before Vegeta could discuss that with the fire demon, someone walked up to him.  It looked like Kaiya, but he knew his sister was up in the mountains with Bulma and Kakarot.</p><p>“What do you want, Mayonaka?” he heard Hiei ask.  The fire demon didn’t once look up at the girl or away from his sword.  Vegeta caught himself wondering what Hiei’s and Mayonaka’s history was.  It was clear that Hiei didn’t like the girl much.</p><p>“I wanted to see how Kaiya was holding up,” she stated confidently, though there was a waver in her voice.  “Kuronue told me and Alexia last night, so I kind of snuck out this morning to check up on her.”</p><p>“You need to stop,” Hiei muttered.  “You should not be ‘sneaking out’ with your father running freely.  Do you have any idea what it would do to Kaiya if she lost you to him?  She’s still not over what happened to her.”</p><p>Mayonaka glared at the fire demon.  “Of course I know!  It nearly killed me when I saw my twin lying dead.  Just because we have our problems doesn’t mean I don’t love my sister.”</p><p>Hiei then glared at Mayonaka.  “Try that again when you weren’t the cause of both of you being hospitalized when we met.”</p><p>“You can’t let things go, can you?” Mayonaka asked bitterly.  “Kaiya did.”</p><p>Hiei frowned at her.  “Kaiya knows that this is how I feel.  She is too forgiving.  If she could get over my past, then of course she would forgive her siblings for anything, and she could even end up forgiving Jiro.”</p><p>“She wouldn’t,” Mayonaka stated.  “I can’t forgive him either.”</p><p>“Neither can I.”</p><p>The two didn’t speak for a moment before Mayonaka asked, “That’s why you can’t forgive me, isn’t it?  And why I can’t forgive Jiro?  Because we caused her pain before.”</p><p>“You catch on quick,” Hiei scoffed sarcastically.  Then he sighed.  “Look, go back to the apartment and don’t go anywhere without Kuronue.  I’ll stay focused on your energy until you get home.  If I sense Jiro anywhere near you, I’ll be on top of it.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Mayonaka muttered.  “And, for what it’s worth, I am truly sorry.”</p><p>“I know,” Hiei admitted.  “But as you said, I cannot let things go.”</p><p>Mayonaka nodded in response.  “I’ll see you at the next get together.”  She started walking back to hers and her cousin’s apartment, looking back at Hiei only once.  His eyes were trained on her as he nodded for her to keep going.  After she was out of eye and earshot, Vegeta walked over to Hiei.</p><p>“I demand to know what that was about,” Vegeta declared.</p><p>Hiei just looked up at him before getting up off of the ground.  “When Mayonaka showed up, she was an enemy sent by her boyfriend’s alternate self to kill us.  She and Kaiya fought.  Kaiya won, but both of them were in bad shape with many broken bones.  Mayonaka is like the brattier version of Kaiya, and incredibly annoying.  She seems to forget that she impersonated Kaiya and tried to convince me that she was her by acting incredibly clingy.  I knew it was her right away, because that’s not the kind of relationship I had with Kaiya.  At the time, we hadn’t even termed each other ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’ yet.  Human interactions continue to baffle and irritate me, but Kaiya doesn’t seem to force that stuff on me.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded.  He too hated listening to the woman go on about human social conventions.  Her relationship with the weakling left a bitter taste when hearing what they affectionately call each other.</p><p>“We usually don’t call each other ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’ either, just nicknames.  I call her ‘onna,’ which used to annoy her.”  Hiei chuckled at the memory.  “She thought I was being sexist and would argue with me about it all the time, thinking I thought she was weak for being female.  Now she calls me one of two names, ‘firebug’ or ‘koi.’  I prefer the latter only because I hate ‘firebug.’  She usually only calls me that when she’s trying to start something.”</p><p>“Why are you telling me any of this?” Vegeta asked skeptically.  “You seem like someone who wouldn’t want to discuss anything private with anyone.”</p><p>Hiei shrugged.  “Most likely, Kaiya would have told you anyway eventually, or you would see it.  Besides, I thought you would want full disclosure about our relationship,” Hiei answered stoically.  “Isn’t that what today is all about?  You want to test me to see if I’m right to protect her, and that means emotionally as well.”</p><p>Vegeta was slightly taken aback by the answer.  He was about to ask Hiei, even though he knew he had telepathic abilities, how he got so much information.  “You are strong, Vegeta, but your mental block is not.  I’m surprised Kaiya has not been able to pick up on more of your past, although she is new to telepathy and still working on it, which explains how she linked you two together in the mind scanners.”</p><p>“It’s a complete invasion of privacy!” Vegeta shouted.  “How dare you?”</p><p>“Get over it,” Hiei growled, glaring at the prince.  “I needed to make sure she was safe, and if that means occasionally reading your mind, you have to get over it because I am only doing my job to keep her safe.  Isn’t that what you want?”</p><p>Vegeta knew they were pretty much at a stalemate with this battle of words, so he just scoffed and said, “Where are we fighting?”</p><p>“It’s a short distance from here if you fly and I run,” Hiei answered.  “It’s where Kaiya and I train privately.  Only our friends know of it, and they never go there, not after the last time.  It would irritate me to no end if they did, and they know that Kaiya nor I will tolerate interruptions when we are there.”</p><p>Hiei sheathed his katana and started running in the direction of the beach, stopping at the edge of the apartment complex and looking back as an invitation for Vegeta to follow him.  Vegeta took off to the air and followed Hiei to a secluded section of the beach so quickly that no human would have been able to even see a blur.  Vegeta looked around the hidden sector of sand and felt at peace in the spot.</p><p>“Kaiya loves it here,” Hiei said almost in wonder.  “As a fire demon, I really don’t get it, but she does.”</p><p>“Saiyans are in tune with nature,” Vegeta said curtly, “though our home planet was more desert than anything else, so this ocean stuff is foreign to me at times.”</p><p>“Well, looks like we have something else in common,” Hiei replied with a smirk.  Vegeta look at him with an expression ordering an explanation.  “Not only were we raised by creeps, and care for our sisters, but we can’t understand this ‘ocean stuff.’”  Hiei was surprised when he heard Vegeta chuckle with him.  Then Hiei grew serious and started walking away from Vegeta.  The Saiyan looked to the fire demon, trying to gage was he was doing.  “And there’s another thing.  We both care about Kaiya a great deal, and we both want to protect her from that bastard, so let’s get to this.  The sooner it’s over, the sooner we can get back to her.”</p><p>Vegeta scoffed again.  “I will be going back to her, and you will only go with me if you can prove yourself to me.”</p><p>Hiei and Vegeta stared at each other as the sea breeze blew around them.  Neither of them was planning on making the first move.  A bird screeched overhead, something Vegeta had never heard before, and he look up for less than a second only to return his gaze to the fire demon who was no longer in the spot.</p><p>Then Vegeta sensed Hiei’s energy behind him and blocked as a fist nearly hit him in the spine.  Hiei disappeared in a flash again, the two of them exchanging fast blows.  Vegeta was surprised by Hiei’s speed and it dawned on him that that was why Kaiya moved so quickly, even if it was primarily defense.  The Saiyan knew he wouldn’t match Hiei’s speed which irritated him, but he grinned at the prospect of it getting increasingly difficult to block Hiei’s blows.  Eventually, Vegeta got hit in the gut, though it didn’t hurt nor did it push him back.</p><p>Hiei frowned at that and drew his katana, making rapid attempts to land another hit on Vegeta.  Vegeta chuckled as he sensed Hiei’s energy increasing, most likely with frustration.  The fire demon was indeed trying to prove himself, but he knew that Vegeta was now toying with him.  What he didn’t know was that Vegeta was already impressed.  It was clear that Hiei never had any proper training, save swordsmanship, but he was a decent fighter, and, even if the hit hadn’t fazed Vegeta, the hit would definitely have torn any human, including Jiro, and most aliens to shreds.</p><p>When Hiei couldn’t make a hit, he growled and sheathed his sword again before his fists were covered in flames.  Vegeta grinned and powered up so that his blue ki was flashing around him.  “This ‘battle’ has been quite entertaining,” Vegeta jeered as he watched Hiei’s eye light up with rage.  He knew it was probably a bad idea to anger the fire demon, but he made it too easy.  “What are you waiting for?” Vegeta continued to taunt.  “Finish me; that is, if you can.”</p><p>He smirked as Hiei growled and launched himself at him.  Vegeta grabbed Hiei’s arms before his flaming fists made contact with his skin.  He purposefully let go when Hiei kicked himself off of him.  The poor fire demon had no idea that Vegeta was completely holding the strings of this battle.  The Saiyan watched as the fire demon breathed heavily with rage.  He looked at Hiei strangely when he started unwrapping the bandage around his dominant hand.</p><p>“You should be honored,” Hiei said darkly.  “I only grace those I deem worthy with this move.”  Vegeta then noticed a black dragon looking tattoo on Hiei’s arm.  “I hope you’re prepared to handle the Dragon of the Darkness Flame.”</p><p>Vegeta felt an overwhelming surge of power as a purple and black flame encased his right arm before growing at an alarming rate.  The flame was definitely not fully controlled, but Hiei had enough of a grasp on it that it wouldn’t take control of either of them, for the moment at least.  As Hiei’s arm shook with the increasing power of the flames, Vegeta began to charge his ki for his own signature attack.</p><p>Hiei cried out as he unleashed the flames as Vegeta called out, “Galick Gun!”  The two energies clashed, both fluctuating in and out of control, though Vegeta clearly had more control of his move.</p><p>“I will not lose to you,” Hiei growled much to Vegeta’s amusement.  “I won’t lose the only person I ever fully trusted.  I will not give up what we worked so hard to build.”</p><p>Vegeta frowned when he heard this.  The boy didn’t get the point of this battle.  Did Hiei really believe that Vegeta would bar him from seeing Kaiya again?  <em>So that’s why he opened up so much…</em></p><p>Vegeta put more energy into his attack to fully tear through the Dragon of Darkness Flame.  The flames dissipated as Hiei was forced back from the blast and the Dragon returned to his arm.  He crashed into a rock clenching his fists as he had the wind knocked out of him.  As he focused on catching his breath, especially after using the one attack that would leave him drained after battle, Vegeta walked up to him, arms crossed.</p><p>“I lost,” Hiei grumbled, still huffing.</p><p>Vegeta nodded to him.  “You did, but your skills were impressive.”</p><p>“But it wasn’t enough,” Hiei snarled at the Saiyan, looking up at him defiantly.  Vegeta did not let a single emotion peak out as he saw the anger, hurt, and disappointment shining in the fire demon’s eyes.  He looked away from Vegeta and sighed before weakly standing up, slightly hobbling as he walked.  Hiei hated to admit that he lost, especially when he knew that meant Vegeta could keep him away from the woman he loved.  “Tell her that I’m sorry,” he requested bitterly.</p><p>“No,” Vegeta replied.  Hiei was about to turn around and snap at the Saiyan, but he saw Vegeta staring at him with authority.  “There is no need for that.  I told you that your skills were impressive.  All that I will require of you is to train with me to get better control of your abilities and anger.  You’ll do fine against her human father and most weak alien races, but if we ever deal with another alien attack, I cannot guarantee you’d be able to hold your own.  Your anger is your greatest weakness, and you lost more control the angrier you were.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Hiei asked causing Vegeta to smirk and chuckle.  He would never know how much he reminded the Saiyan of Kaiya in that moment, as if he were a confused child.  The fire demon narrowed his eyes at the Saiyan.  “What’s so funny?”</p><p>“Did you really think that I was going to break you two up if you lost?” the Saiyan taunted.  “That’s not how our culture works.  Ultimately it’s her decision; however, all I needed to do, as the only male family figure who can judge on these matters, was make sure that the mate could protect her.  As long as you accept training with me on occasion, you will have no interference from me.”</p><p>Relief flooded Hiei as he nodded his agreement.  Vegeta smirked at him again, shaking his head.  “I will never understand you Earthlings,” he stated.  “You take everything so seriously?”</p><p>Hiei scoffed.  “We do?  What about you?”</p><p>Vegeta slightly glared at Hiei, but noticed the boy smirking.  Hiei was teasing him in the same belittling manner Vegeta was, but it was not meant to be taken offensively.  Again, he could see the similarities between Hiei and himself.  Then he realized there was more he wanted and needed to know about Kaiya and his expression grew serious again.  “So…” he started darkly.  “What exactly happened between Kaiya and that bastard?”</p><p>The aura around Hiei darkened, his fists clenching, this time in rage.  Vegeta remained emotionless as he watched the emotions flash on Hiei’s face.  “I…I can’t even tell you that without the desire to destroy something taking over,” Hiei admitted.  “You would not be happy with the story.”</p><p>“I know,” Vegeta replied.  “I just need to know.”</p><p>Hiei sighed in frustration.  “You may want to sit,” he said as he himself sat down Indian-style on the sand.  Vegeta took a seat on the rock, still looking down at the fire demon as he sighed again and stared directly at the sand.  He refused to meet Vegeta gaze.</p><p>“He is a demon hunter,” Hiei began to explain.  “Kaiya did not know this as she told her father the names of her friends.  He hadn’t met us, but we are all quite famous in Demon World.  Our political status in Demon World, as well as our famed strength is apparently well known in both the Makai and with the demon hunters.”</p><p>“Makai?” Vegeta asked.</p><p>Hiei shrugged.  “Another name for Demon World.  Anyways, I heard a joke Kaiya was telling about her cousins, and, having dealt with Mayonaka, I thought they would hurt her.  I followed her to America, where she’s from, and realized that her cousins were just children and it was more of fighting for fun than actual damage.  Then Jiro showed up unexpectedly with her little brother and things were just off.  Our friends, who had arrived before Jiro, had felt it too.  Kaiya just assumed it was her being paranoid…her and Jiro never had a good relationship, even before this.</p><p>“Kaiya told us many stories, and pretty much all we could take from them was that Jiro was not very supportive of any decisions she made and was never there for her.  She had a nightmare, more of a premonition, of her death.  She was screaming in her sleep and it was incredibly hard to wake her, so we knew it wasn’t a normal dream.  We were concerned but, before we can come up with a solution, Jiro showed up and distracted us from the conversation.  Then it came out that Jiro was a demon hunter after the girls got kidnapped by a few.  Totally kicked their asses.”  Hiei smirked with pride at that.  “He gave Kaiya the option to join him and she refused.  He pretty much disowned her publically at that point, and it hurt her.”</p><p>Hiei paused and Vegeta couldn’t understand why until he saw his eyes darken.  “He called both of his daughters ‘collateral damage,’” he stated bitterly.  “Kaiya didn’t know how to handle the fact that her own father was trying to kill her.  She was outside, alone…and I went to talk to her.  She was so distraught, and I attempted to comfort her.  She just asked me to leave her a few minutes.”  Hiei’s voice was starting to sound strained, his energy fluctuating rapidly with his anger and anxiety as he remembered that night.  “I was stupid…I shouldn’t have left her alone, whether or not she asked me to.  I should have stayed.”</p><p>Hiei needed to take a break from the story, but Vegeta would not have it.  “I demand you tell me what happened.”</p><p>Hiei flashed a look of displeasure over to Vegeta.  “Do you think this is easy for me to tell you?” Hiei snapped.  “You’re lucky I’ve gotten out as much as I have.  I haven’t spoken to anyone about that night.  Even when Kaiya was upset about it and I had to listen, I never spoke.  I couldn’t, because it would only hurt her more knowing I blame myself or that I wish I had just tortured the bastard and not have killed him as quickly as I did…that he deserved to suffer for doing what he had.”</p><p>“I still don’t have the answers that I’m looking for,” Vegeta responded.  “I deserve to know what happened to my sister.”</p><p>Hiei’s expression softened as he thought about Yukina and how Spirit World had kept him in the dark about her kidnapping.  It was a different situation since Spirit World didn’t feel as pained as he was feeling now, but Vegeta was right.  He did deserve to know everything.</p><p>“I heard her call out for me,” he continued, “using telepathy.  I always kept a connection with her.  I rushed out to help her, but by the time I got there…she was already writhing on the ground, screaming the same as she had when she had the nightmare.  It had been raining, and she was soaked.  When the electricity hit her…I can’t even imagine the pain she was in.  I can still remember the sound of her screaming.  It’s almost painful sometimes…”</p><p>Vegeta looked on in pity as he saw the light in Hiei’s eyes go out before rage flashed in again.  “Human doctors are idiots.  They couldn’t do anything…we couldn’t either, but they were as stupid as they come.  The guy we were dealing with was asking if any of us were related to her while Mayonaka was standing RIGHT THERE!  I couldn’t even believe he had a license that gave him the authority to save her.</p><p>“They brought in some ‘crash cart’ or whatever they call them, and attempted to start her stopped heart.  I…I had never felt so much fear before in my life, and then when they stopped trying…I was out for blood.”</p><p>Hiei shot up from the sand and yelled out in anger as he ran and punched another large rock with his flaming fist.  “And he said she deserved it!” he yelled.  “She was innocent in all of this!”  Another rock shattered from his kick.  “She never asked for the powers she had!”  He hit two more rocks, the gray masses cracking slowly before collapsing.  “She couldn’t even bring herself to fight back because he was her father and she refuses to fight family!”  Hiei shook his head as he worked on reigning in his rage.  Vegeta watched the boy, silently awed as he just stared at Hiei.  “I…we…we were watching her die,” he whispered.  “I was so in shock that someone would even dare to harm her, especially someone who was supposed to care.  I never had the luxury of family, but I knew how she felt towards hers.  He took advantage of that, and just smiled as he watched her dying from his own attack.  And I always believed that I was heartless.  I could never abandon or harm my own child.  I can’t even comprehend…” </p><p>Hiei didn’t finish his statement.  He still couldn’t come to grips with what happened.  “We didn’t know about her dormant demon powers…we didn’t have any Dragon Balls.  For all we knew, she was gone for good.  We went after him, and then Kaiya’s demon energy took over.  She came to us and we all fought Jiro and his men together.  She attacked him, and he was weakened, but he was still alive and made his move to attack and threaten her again.  I stabbed him…though I wanted to torture him…but I couldn’t do that to Kaiya, and I couldn’t let her get hurt again.  So I took his life, and I did not regret it one bit.”</p><p>Hiei turned to face Vegeta, both looking stern as ever as they stared each other in the eye.  “That is what happened.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded his sincere thanks.  After seeing the display, he realized that it was truly hard for the fire demon to relive that night.  He looked around at the rock-littered beach.  Hiei was now looking away from him, re-wrapping his arm from their battle and grabbing his sword.  The fire demon began to walk away when Vegeta’s voice stopped him.</p><p>“Believe me,” Vegeta stated evenly.  “After what that sorry excuse for a man has done to both Kaiya and our home, he will not be escaping death a second time.  I expect to see you and Kaiya tomorrow for training at Capsule Corp.”</p><p>“We’ll be there,” Hiei agreed before flitting off and returning to Kaiya’s apartment.</p><p>Vegeta, now alone on the beach turned to the rock he had been sitting on.  He narrowed his eyes at the solid boulder before destroying it in a similar fashion as Hiei.  Flashes of light shot around the beach that even passersby would have seen it.  After unleashing his built up rage, he flew off towards his temporary home to finish de-stressing in the GR.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya and Gohan were both climbing trees, making Kaiya feel like a kid again.  She was finally starting to calm down from the day before as she chatted with the young Saiyan.  The two of them seemed to share a love of nature and animals, and spent the afternoon exchanging stories.  And then both of them grew quiet.  The entire forest grew quiet.</p><p>The feeling was not unfamiliar to Kaiya.  Her eyes shifted back and forth as she attempted to remember where this feeling had come from before.  Then she gasped as it hit her yet again.  “No,” she breathed out.</p><p>Gohan looked at her strangely, also feeling a little leery.  “Kaiya?”</p><p>Before the boy knew, he was pushed out of the tree as both he and Kaiya plummeted to the ground and a blast of lightning shot through the treetop.  Both demi-Saiyans looked up as the lightning lingered.  A cracking branch brought their attention to Jiro who had been stalking Kaiya the majority of the day.</p><p>“Jiro,” Kaiya breathed out, quickly getting to her feet.  Gohan was even quicker to get up, crouching down into his fighting stance.  It hit Kaiya that Gohan was nearly hit by an attack that had killed her once.  “Oh my God,” she said in a whisper.  “What the hell were you thinking?” she asked more forcefully.</p><p>“I was thinking that I was just about to eliminate you, again,” her father teased with a smirk.</p><p>“I know what you were thinking of doing to me,” Kaiya stated truthfully.  “But did you even consider that I had a child next to me?  You could have gotten us both with that attack.”</p><p>Jiro shrugged.  “Just more collateral damage,” he replied nonchalantly.</p><p>Kaiya frowned and shook her head.  “I don’t even know who you are anymore,” she told him.  “To hurt me is one thing, but to hurt a child who has nothing to do with us…you’re a monster.”</p><p>“I’m your father,” he said grinning even more.</p><p>“Don’t remind me,” Kaiya muttered.  “I spent the last year trying to get over that factoid.”</p><p>Jiro’s amusement disappeared as he frowned at her, but then a voice called his attention away from her.</p><p>“Hey!” the voice snapped.  Out of nowhere, Goku landed in front of both Kaiya and Gohan.  “So you’re the guy that showed up yesterday,” he acknowledged. </p><p>Jiro seemed confused by the new arrival, but regained his composure and cleared his throat.  “I am,” he admitted.  “And I don’t know who you are, but if you don’t mind getting your ass out of the way so I can take out my traitorous daughter, then we won’t have a problem.”</p><p>Goku’s eyes narrowed, his features hardened, and Kaiya seemed completely taken aback by the upbeat Saiyan’s change in attitude from earlier.  “I suggest you leave,” he threatened slightly.</p><p>“Or what?” Jiro all but growled.</p><p>“You just attacked my son and my friend,” Goku stated.  “From what I’ve learned about my race, you do not want to anger a Saiyan or attack their loved ones.”</p><p>“You’re a Saiyan?” Jiro asked in shock.  He looked in between the three Saiyans standing in front of him.  “That’s impossible.  There’s only the prince, my daughter, and the one who defeated-“  And then Jiro stopped talking as realization and fear sunk in.</p><p>“Yes, I defeated Frieza on Namek,” Goku told him.  “I don’t want to fight you, but if you threaten my family, then I will.”</p><p>Jiro looked over to Kaiya who was holding her arm, shrinking inside herself.  He glared at the girl before scoffing.  “You monkeys aren’t even worth my time.”  He looked back over to Kaiya.  “In the end, you will lose your life again.  I will make sure of it.”  Jiro used his wind manipulating abilities to propel himself out of the forest.  Everyone was safe, for the moment, at least physically.</p><p>Goku was relieved and turned to face Gohan and Kaiya, but Kaiya had already sunk to the ground.  Her eyes were wide as she started at a spot on in front of her.  Tears began to form in her eyes as she whispered, “He didn’t even care that he was going to kill someone else’s child.”</p><p>Goku knelt down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder, his smile returning.  “Hey, don’t worry about it,” he told her, his voice light and comforting.  “He wouldn’t have gotten away with it, and the important thing is that you and Gohan are okay.”</p><p>Kaiya looked at Goku.  “But Kakarot…Jiro wouldn’t have come here if I hadn’t.  I just put you and your family in danger.  How can you not be mad at me?”</p><p>“Because you did nothing wrong,” the older Saiyan replied.  “It was Jiro’s decision to come after you, and I took on the responsibility of protecting you for the day.  Besides, you saved my son from that attack.  I can’t be mad at you.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded, but still didn’t agree with him.  “I…I want to go back home now,” Kaiya told him.</p><p>Goku nodded and stood, holding out his hand to help Kaiya up.  Kaiya accepted the help and the three of them walked back to the small house where Bulma was waiting with Chi Chi.  Occasionally, Kaiya would look back into the woods at the tree that she and Gohan had climbed.  It broke her heart when she saw the blackened singe marks on the branches, the leaves blackened and dead as well.  The entire walk back, all she could think was, <em>It would have been the second time, and Gohan’s death, had I not gotten us out of that tree.  </em>She frowned and watched the spot even as she flew out in the air car with Bulma.  <em>What kind of a heartless monster does that?</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 9 - Training Mishaps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bulma landed her air car outside Kaiya’s home.  Once parked, Kaiya got out of the car and started walking away.  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Bulma asked the quiet girl.</p><p>Kaiya sighed before turning to face the older woman.  She could tell that Bulma was worried about her, so she forced a smile in attempts to play off how she was feeling.  “Yeah,” she lied.  “I’m fine.  I’ll see you soon, okay?”</p><p>Bulma was still hesitant to leave Kaiya alone, but she started her air car again.  “Okay,” she replied before taking off again for her home.  Kaiya watched as she left and walked into the space outside of her apartment.  Her hands were shaky causing her to drop her keys.  She muttered a curse as she went to pick them up, her front door opening revealing a very confused Hiei.</p><p>“I thought you were going to be gone all day,” he stated.  “What happened?”</p><p>“Jiro,” Kaiya replied hesitantly.  Hiei’s expression darkened as they went inside.</p><p>“I repeat my question,” Hiei said after they sat down on the couch.  “What happened?”  Kaiya shook her head, reluctant to tell her easily angered boyfriend about what her father had done.  “Kaiya,” Hiei sighed, “you are obviously upset by this.  Tell me what happened.”  It sounded like a demand, but Kaiya understood that Hiei was simply concerned about her wellbeing.</p><p>“Okay,” Kaiya surrendered.  She took a deep breath, preparing herself for Hiei’s reaction.  “Jiro attacked me today.”  Rage flashed in Hiei’s eyes and he was about to flash out of there any second, but Kaiya put her hand on his clenched fist.  “I got out of the way in time.  I was more upset that Gohan nearly got hit.”</p><p>“What?” Hiei asked, though he wasn’t shocked that Jiro would attack anyone that got in his way.</p><p>“Yeah,” Kaiya muttered.  “When I confronted him about it, he said Gohan would have just been ‘collateral damage.’”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei scoffed with a bitter chuckle.  “Unbelievable.  Figures, though.”</p><p>“What?” Kaiya asked.  Hiei just looked away from her, shaking his head.  “Hiei, please tell me.  What did you mean by that?”</p><p>Hiei sighed in frustration mentally berating himself for even mentioning it.  He was still upset from reliving his own pain of Kaiya’s death with Vegeta earlier.  He never wanted Kaiya to know about this.  “Just leave it alone, Kaiya.  You don’t need to know.  It would only add to your pain, and I refuse to tell you.”</p><p>Kaiya frowned, both insulted and irritated that Hiei wouldn’t tell her.  “You think I’m too weak to handle it,” she accused.  “You think I’ll break and be as devastated as I was.”</p><p>“You’re wrong,” Hiei assured her.  “I do not think you are weak.  Far from it actually. And you didn’t ‘break.’  Your reaction was perfectly justified, all things considered.  I just know that telling you this will not make the situation better.  If anything, it will make you feel worse.”</p><p>“Hiei,” Kaiya nearly whined.  “I know it won’t make me feel better, but I want to know.  I have the right to know, don’t I?”</p><p>Hiei was starting to feel like his hands were tied, but he still didn’t want to tell her.  “Of course you do, but tell me this.  Do you want to be upset by this on a day where you’re already upset?”</p><p>“Yes,” Kaiya said adamantly.  “I’m already upset.  It can’t be much worse than him trying to take my life for a second time as well as the life of a child.”</p><p>“True,” Hiei admitted reluctantly.  He looked into Kaiya’s hopeful eyes and knew that he had lost.  “Ugh, fine,” he muttered.  He then took Kaiya’s hand and attempted to soften his voice.  “When you girls got kidnapped, he said that you and Mayonaka were ‘collateral damage.’”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya replied.</p><p>“You do?” Hiei asked in shock, his grip on her hand tightening.  “How?  I never…”</p><p>“Kurama told me,” Kaiya explained.  “And even if he hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you had told me what he said.  He always said stupid stuff like that.  You get used to it after a while.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t have had to get used to it,” Hiei growled, a scowl on his face.</p><p>“No, I shouldn’t have,” Kaiya sighed.  “But at least I know when I actually have kids, they’ll be loved by the both of us.”</p><p>Kaiya grinned as color appeared on Hiei’s cheeks and his mouth gaped open and closed like a fish a few times.  He was struck speechless by her remark.  Kaiya chuckled at his reaction.  “Aw, you’re so cute when you don’t know how to respond.  Don’t worry; we have a long time before we get there.”</p><p>“Do not say anything like that around the detective,” Hiei warned her.  “Neither of us will hear the end of it.”</p><p>Kaiya just laughed.  “Trust me; I already know that.  Nope, this is between us.”  She squeezed his hand and moved to kiss his cheek.</p><p>“Good,” he said before placing a kiss on her lips.  He then pressed his forehead to hers and whispered.  “I am honored, though.  Why me?”</p><p>“If anyone understands my feelings regarding family, it’s you,” Kaiya answered.  “You’ve said it yourself.  Jiro shouldn’t have treated his own children the way he does.  I know you wouldn’t be that way, just like you know I wouldn’t be like your people.”</p><p>“True,” Hiei said quietly.  “You do not have the same mindset as they do.”  He pulled her closer to him to the point where they were lying together on the couch.  “If you did, I probably would have killed you when you went behind my back and pulled information out of Yukina.”</p><p>Kaiya simply smiled and nuzzled her head against his neck.  “Now, now,” she chided.  “You know you wouldn’t have done that.  I do admit that I shouldn’t have gone behind your back, though.  I didn’t know you as well back then, though, so of course I didn’t think to ask you.”</p><p>“It’s in the past,” Hiei replied.  “It doesn’t matter much now.  Everything is different.”</p><p>“I’ll say,” Kaiya laughed.  Hiei relaxed when he heard her sweet, melodious laughter.  She looked up into his eyes to see him glancing down at her.  “What?”</p><p>“Um, nothing,” he replied with a slight nervousness.  “Just rest, Kaiya.”</p><p>She nodded and laid her head against Hiei’s chest.  The two of them rested on the couch together in silence.  Hiei was running his fingers through Kaiya’s hair while she traced his bandaged right arm.  “You have new bandages,” she said breaking the silence.  “Please tell me you didn’t burn my brother to a crisp.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei replied with a smirk.  “Don’t worry; he’s fine.”  He decided not to mention that the Dragon had no effect on Vegeta.  “Vegeta wants us to train with him more.  I’ll be going with you tomorrow.”</p><p>Kaiya grinned although Hiei could not see it since he was resting his head on top of hers.  “That’s great,” she whispered.  “I’d hoped you two would get along.”</p><p>“It’s easy to get along with someone who shares a common interest,” Hiei pointed out.</p><p>“What, fighting?” Kaiya asked with a chuckle.</p><p>“No,” Hiei said seriously.  “You.”</p><p>Kaiya sat up slightly and looked at Hiei as though she were shocked.  Hiei smirked and let out an amused chuckle as she blushed bright red.  “Oh,” she replied blankly.  “Um, yeah…I guess I didn’t think of that.”</p><p>Hiei frowned at her again.  “That is because you let your father’s words get to you.  The truth is, Kaiya, he is not important and neither is his opinion.  You’re not to blame for his actions, and we <em>will</em> stop him.  We’ll deal with him and then these android things that kid told us about.  It’s all going to be okay.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya mumbled into Hiei’s chest.  “It’s just hard sometimes.”</p><p>“Don’t let it be,” he told her.  “Ignore Jiro.  He doesn’t get a say in your life.  As I said, he’s unimportant.”</p><p>Kaiya quietly giggled.  “Okay, if I say it once, will you let it go?”</p><p>“Possibly.”</p><p>Kaiya sighed and sat up.  “Fine.  Jiro is unimportant and he doesn’t get a say in my life.  Happy?”</p><p>Hiei nodded to her before sitting up as well.  “We have a long day ahead of us.  I have a feeling your brother is going to work us hard tomorrow.”</p><p>“Yeah, he always does,” Kaiya joked.  “And I am tired.  Come on, let’s go to bed.”</p><p>Kaiya stood up from the couch and started heading to her room.  Hiei just watched her before she stopped and looked at him strangely.  He quirked his brow in response as the two of them just stared at each other.  “Well,” she started to answer his unasked question, “are you coming or not?”</p><p>Hiei cocked his head slightly to the right before getting up and crossing his arms, following her to her room.  They both slid into the bed, facing each other before Hiei asked, “So is this going to be an everyday occurrence now?”</p><p>“Why not?” Kaiya replied with a sweet smile.  “We’re both a lot calmer when we’re together.”</p><p>“That’s a terrifying thought,” Hiei told her.  Kaiya looked at him strangely.  “Do you remember the start of our relationship?”</p><p>Kaiya couldn’t help but laugh again.  “When you put it that way, you have a point.  Man, were we idiots.  At least nearly killing each other isn’t our way of greeting each other anymore.”</p><p>“Thankfully, although I wouldn’t have ‘killed’ you.”</p><p>Kaiya kissed Hiei’s cheek.  She whispered a quiet, “I know that too,” in his ear before they fell asleep together.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was sitting alone in what humans called the “living room” pondering the story Hiei had told him about Kaiya’s death.  He couldn’t believe that someone like that existed in his little sister’s life.  He also couldn’t believe how much Hiei seemed to be affected by Kaiya’s death.  At first glance, Hiei seemed to be a hardened criminal, much like himself, but today the fire demon allowed the Saiyan prince a chance to get closer to him and bond.  Even if he was just doing it for his sister, Hiei didn’t need to let Vegeta get that close.</p><p>Vegeta heard the front door open and close, signaling that the woman was back from Kakarot’s.  The prince was shocked when he didn’t sense Kaiya’s energy with her.  He thought the girl was going to come back with the woman since they were going to be getting in so late.</p><p>Bulma rushed into the living room and nearly jumped when she saw Vegeta sitting there.  “Oh, Vegeta, hey,” she greeted.  “You surprised me.  I expected you to be training.”</p><p>“Done early,” Vegeta replied curtly.  “Where’s Kaiya?”</p><p>Bulma sighed in the darkness, but Vegeta with his Saiyan eyesight could see her putting her hand to her head.  “Vegeta, a lot happened today and she wanted to go home.”</p><p>Vegeta’s eyes narrowed at Bulma.  Not knowing what had happened left him thinking that Kakarot had done or said something stupid to upset her.  “What did that idiot do?” he snapped.</p><p>Bulma looked up, slightly alarmed at the less than subtle accusation.  “Oh, Vegeta, nothing happened between her and Goku,” Bulma assured him.  “Jiro showed up.  He attacked her and could have killed both her and Gohan.  Goku got him to leave.”</p><p>“Jiro,” Vegeta growled out quietly, tightening his fists.  “I will kill that bastard.”</p><p>The next thing Vegeta knew, Bulma was behind him placing her hands gently on his shoulders.  “I know you want to,” she whispered to him.  “Just be careful.  He may be a jerk, but he’s still her father.  Don’t do anything rash.”</p><p>“If you are asking me not to kill him,” Vegeta said darkly, “then I suggest you go waste you words on someone else.  He has caused nothing but problems for the both of us, and I will not let him get away with it.  If that is all you wanted to say, then you can go now.”</p><p>Bulma smiled sadly and then took a seat next to Vegeta.  “I’m not asking you not to kill him,” she replied honestly.  “I’m asking you to be careful when you do.  Try to avoid doing it in front of Kaiya.  That’s how he died last time, not that there was much of a choice.  He was seconds away from killing her the second time in a two days.”  Vegeta growled slightly, not wanting to harp on that.  “Goku and I thought of something today.”</p><p>“What?” Vegeta snappishly shouted.</p><p>“Well,” Bulma said, ignoring his outburst, “everything that happened between Kaiya and Jiro happened about a year ago, when we were all on Namek.”</p><p>“Your point,” Vegeta said with a roll of his eyes.  He had no idea what Bulma was getting at, but being reminded him of his past failure was not appealing to him and he was starting to get increasingly irritated with the human female with whom he had come to coincide.</p><p>Bulma grew nervous and looked away from Vegeta.  “Do you know anything about your sister’s death?” she asked hesitantly.</p><p>“I know enough,” Vegeta muttered, still staring blankly at Bulma.  “Again, your point?”</p><p>“Vegeta, from what we were hearing, it sounds like…”</p><p>“Like?” Vegeta pressed getting even more frustrated with Bulma.  The woman still didn’t answer to him, looking to him with worry.  “Get to the point, damn it!” he shouted at her.</p><p>“Fine,” Bulma shouted back.  “You know what, Vegeta…I was trying to think of a nice way to put this, but you’re making it impossible.”</p><p>“I don’t need you to make it sound ‘nice,’” Vegeta sneered.  “Just. Get. To. The. Point.”</p><p>“Alright, then,” Bulma said with a sigh.  “Vegeta, Kaiya may have died around the same time you did.”</p><p>“W-What?” Vegeta breathed out while looking away from Bulma.  “That’s…that can’t be…”</p><p>“A coincidence?” Bulma finished.  “I was thinking that too.  It seems too planned out, and probably not on Frieza’s end.”</p><p>Vegeta tightened even more in anger.  If Bulma was implying what he thought she was, Jiro planned when he was going to go after Kaiya.  He wondered if the human knew about the things occurring on Namek as well or if it was just a coincidence.  Then another thing hit him.  If Jiro planned the attack when Frieza was directing his attention to another planet, was Jiro actually trying to break his deal with the tyrant just because he was angry with the young girl for choosing the side of her friends?</p><p>“Jiro is an idiot,” Vegeta mumbled.  “If he killed Kaiya and Frieza had gotten his wish, then Frieza would have come after him and ended his pathetic life.”</p><p>“Well, thankfully Kaiya is alive now and Frieza isn’t,” Bulma said in attempts to point out the bright side.</p><p>“This is ridiculous,” he continued to mumble out.  “He does not deserve a second chance to harm her.  I want to end him now.”</p><p>“I’m sure,” Bulma agreed.  “Look, I’m not going to tell you to change how you feel.  If I had the power, I’d want to kill him too.  Your sister has been hurt too much by him, both physically and emotionally.”</p><p>“Why do you even care so much?”  Vegeta questioned.  “About her or about me.”</p><p>Bulma just smiled from behind him.  “Because someone has to look out for you.  As for your sister, she is a sweet girl.  Of course I’d be protective over her, especially because I know how important she is to you and how much you care about her.”  At seeing Vegeta’s confused expression, Bulma finished with, “We are kind of friends now, don’t you think?”</p><p>Vegeta snorted in feigned derision.  “That’s absurd,” he scoffed, thankful that it was dark and Bulma was behind him.  She would never let him live it down if she caught him blushing.</p><p>“Aw, don’t be like that, Geta,” Bulma teased jovially.</p><p>“No,” Vegeta growled at her.  “Only my sister can call me that.”</p><p>“That’s fine,” Bulma chimed finding it adorable that Vegeta had a preference of nicknames and who could call him said names.  “I could always call you Veggie-chan.”</p><p>Vegeta turned to face her, now seething in both irritation and embarrassment.  His face was reddened with anger as he yelled, “You will do no such thing, or, so help me, I will blast you where you stand.”</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t think so…” Bulma said before tacking on, “Veggie.”  Vegeta just crossed his arms and turned away, not even responding to her.  Bulma held back a laugh for the prince’s pouting.  “Hey,” she said quietly, “I’m only teasing.  Don’t take it so seriously.”</p><p>“I am not a tool for your own amusement,” Vegeta growled while getting angry again.</p><p>Bulma frowned, concerned at the fact that Vegeta was pulling away from her at her gentle teasing.  She realized that it had to have come from the way he grew up and decided to go a different route.  “No, you are definitely not a tool,” she assured him.  “Tools fix things and don’t break my hard work all the time.”</p><p>Vegeta smirked with pride at her remark.  “Well, if you worked harder, it wouldn’t happen as often.”</p><p>“Says you,” Bulma replied, finally taking a seat next to him.  She placed a hand comfortingly on his arm, his face contorting with even more confusion and bitter curiosity.</p><p>“Woman, what the hell are you doing?” he asked darkly.</p><p>He silenced himself and slightly relaxed when Bulma smiled.  “You need to relax.  All this stress isn’t good for any of you.  Now, in the morning, Kaiya is coming to train here, right?  I would just talk to her, open up to her.  No matter what you say, she’ll listen.  I would listen too, but I’m sure you’d rather talk to your sister than to me about this stuff.  I only know what I saw on the machine.  Both of you have seen and dealt with a lot more than I have.”</p><p>Bulma stood up and stretched a bit, ignoring the silent question Vegeta was trying to convey with his eyes.  “Good night, Vegeta,” she said soothingly before walking away.  Vegeta just stared at her as she left the room.  He couldn’t believe what had just transpired between him and Bulma.  He always hated her, ridiculed her, threatened to kill her, yet she was calling him a friend and actually attempted to understand him and his murderous ways with no judgment.  It was almost like how his sister treated him, but somehow different.  Kaiya was his sister, and therefore had a connection to him.  Bulma did not share a connection with him, and should probably be running in the opposite direction.</p><p>“What is with these Earthlings?” he asked to no one in particular.  “No wonder they are so clueless.”</p><p>One thing was certain, though.  He did need to get some rest and attempt to quell his anger before he was to train with Kaiya and Hiei the next day.  He did not want to bring anger from the past into his training session with his sister or her boyfriend around.  He would hate to end up taking it out on either of them.  With that final thought, Vegeta stood up and headed to his temporary room.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya woke up feeling completely relaxed and at ease.  She had had no nightmares, no flashbacks, just a peaceful sleep.  She turned over in Hiei’s grasp and saw that he was still asleep with his arms wrapped around her.  Her idea last night for them to sleep together seemed to do him a world of good too.  She felt him give her a tight squeeze before he opened his eyes.  Seems the fire demon was awake too.</p><p>“Morning, koi,” she greeted in a whisper.</p><p>“Morning, onna,” he replied pulling her close to him.  “We need to get up.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know,” Kaiya said with a sigh.  “I’m just so comfortable.”  Hiei nodded, but moved out of the bed.  Kaiya groaned because that meant her heater had just removed himself and she would need to get out of bed too.  “Fine,” she muttered.  “I’m getting up.”</p><p>Hiei silently chuckled at her.  “I’ll leave you to get dressed,” he told her before leaving the room.  He was surprised to see Kurama and Yusuke in the apartment and rolled his eyes.  “Breaking and entering, Kurama?”</p><p>“Hey, what’s with the judgment?” Yusuke asked with a laugh.  “You’re just as bad.”</p><p>“What do you two want?” Hiei asked getting straight to the point.  “And why did you leave you families unprotected?”</p><p>“They aren’t,” Kurama replied.  “I have many guard plants ready.”</p><p>“Your mother won’t notice the plants attacking an intruder?” Hiei said with curiosity.</p><p>“She knows now,” Kurama admitted.</p><p>“She…what?”</p><p>“Yeah, fox boy finally told her,” Yusuke explained.  “Surprising right?”</p><p>Kurama sighed.  “We have an enemy who has already succeeded in taking the life of someone we care about running around freely.  Honestly, she needed to know for her own safety.”</p><p>“How did she take it?” Kaiya asked, coming out of her room dressed in a red T-shirt and black shorts for training.</p><p>Kurama smiled at her.  “You were right, Kaiya.  It didn’t change her opinion of me.  She is a little nervous about me being out and about, though.”</p><p>“All mothers worry,” Kaiya returned.</p><p>“Hey, Kaiya, how are you doing?” Yusuke asked.  “Everything was kind of crazy the other day.”</p><p>“I’ve been better,” she answered honestly, “but I’m okay.  Jiro attacked me yesterday, but everything is fine.  Hiei and I are going to go train with my brother today.”</p><p>“Well, that’s neat,” Yusuke said.  “So how does he train?  Anything like us?”</p><p>“Yes and no,” Kaiya told him.  “He does a lot of kata and meditation like we do, and we do spar quite a bit, but unlike us, he trains at a higher level of gravity.”</p><p>“How is that even possible?” Yusuke muttered.  “Gravity is gravity.  There’s no higher about it.”</p><p>“Wrong as usual,” Hiei taunted.</p><p>“Hey, watch it!” Yusuke shouted causing Hiei to smirk.</p><p>“Hn, well if you knew anything, different planet bodies have different gravities.  From what Vegeta told Kaiya, Planet Vegeta had ten times Earth’s gravity.  Training at high gravity can make you stronger.”</p><p>“Hey, you listened,” Kaiya said happily.  “I thought you drowned me out when I told you that.”</p><p>“Why would I do that?” Hiei asked her.  “You’re always excited when you learn more about Planet Vegeta and the Saiyans.”</p><p>“Is it school excited or aquarium excited?” Yusuke teased.</p><p>“The latter,” Hiei responded.  “Now if we’re done here, we’re already going to be late for training.”</p><p>“Hiei…you’re worried about...being punctual?” Kurama asked hesitantly.</p><p>Hiei flashed Kurama a half-hearted glare.  “Is there a problem with that?”</p><p>“No?” Kurama replied, still shocked that his friend cared about getting to training on time.</p><p>“You still haven’t answered my question,” Hiei stated.  “What are you even doing here?”</p><p>“Oh, well, we wanted to know if you two wanted to come to Genkai’s today for training, but you have that covered,” Yusuke reported.  “We also wanted to know what you thought about a little beach trip this weekend.  We only have about a month before these two,” he said motioning to Kaiya and Kurama, “and Kuwabara have school again.”</p><p>“Oh yeah,” Kaiya said, eye widening.  “How am I supposed to balance school and volunteer work while watching out for Jiro and training for the Androids.”</p><p>“One step at a time,” Hiei muttered.  “And if you’re worried about that, I say we go on the beach trip.”</p><p>“Okay, cool, we’ll tell the others,” Yusuke said with a grin.  “Good luck with training.”</p><p>“Same to you,” Kaiya replied.  When the two left, Kaiya looked to Hiei.  “What has you so upset?”</p><p>“Where Kurama is a trained thief, the fact that he got in so easily is unsettling,” Hiei told her deciding not to remind her of Vegeta’s breaking and entering the other night.  “If he can get in, then so can Jiro.  You aren’t safe in this apartment.”</p><p>“What do you want me to do?” Kaiya asked him.  “I can’t just sell the apartment.”</p><p>“Why not?” Hiei asked her.  “We could see if Bulma would mind having you stay there.  With both me and Vegeta there, plus whatever security systems they have, we have a better chance of protecting you from Jiro.”</p><p>“Okay, I know you’re making sense,” Kaiya said.  “Vegeta brought this up once before too, before Jiro and Frieza showed up, and I know Bulma would like the company.”  She looked around the apartment and frowned.  “It’s just that…I don’t want to impose and I really don’t want to leave the apartment.  We’ve made a lot of memories here.”</p><p>“Kaiya, I am not one to understand human sentiments, but do you hear how ridiculous you sound?” Hiei asked as kindly as he could.  “You moved here three years ago.  It was temporary until you decided to take up residence in Japan.  You may as well make it more permanent.  What better way than staying with your brother in a highly secured area?”</p><p>“You’re coming with me, right?” Kaiya asked him.  When he nodded, she sighed and nodded back to him.  “Okay, I’ll ask Bulma today.  It is a really good idea.”</p><p>“Right,” Hiei mumbled.  “Anyways, let’s go.  Like I said, we’re late.”</p><p>“Okay, I’m ready,” Kaiya said before the two of them left the apartment.  Kaiya looked back inside for a moment.  For the first time in a while, Kaiya felt a foreign feeling when she was looking inside.  She had been feeling this way for a while, including the times she noticed her door unlocked.  Maybe her senses and premonitions were warning her away from staying there.  If Kurama could passively get in, then Jiro would be able to break the door down and finish the job.  <em>Yeah…seriously time to move…</em></p><hr/><p>Vegeta was practicing his kata in the GR at the very high level of 250 G’s.  It was getting to be too easy for him to do now, so he knew he needed to step it up.  He looked at the clock Bulma had installed during the last upgrade in attempts to get him to dinner more.  A frown appeared on his face when he realized that Hiei and Kaiya were late.  He did not tolerate much, especially lateness.  That was the first strike today.</p><p>He turned off the GR and went outside to check and saw that his sister had finally shown up with her boyfriend.  Both of them looked a little worried, Hiei taking her hand and giving her a reassuring nod.  Kaiya went inside right after, confusing Vegeta before Hiei started walking over to the GR.  Vegeta was about to scold the fire demon for his tardy, but Hiei spoke up first.</p><p>“We had unwanted company,” he told the prince.  “Our friends decided to break in to ask if we wanted to train.  Then we discussed the concept of her living here.  She’s asking Bulma right now.”</p><p>Vegeta crossed his arms and faced Hiei.  “And what made you think of here?” Vegeta tested him.</p><p>Hiei smirked as he realized that he was going to be under Vegeta’s constant scrutiny.  “It’s secured and she would have two protectors.  It would be more difficult for someone to break in without tripping some type of alarm or getting passed either of us.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded in agreement and stepped away from the door of the GR.  Hiei looked at his questioning.  “While they’re talking, we should start training.  I want to have a private session with both of you.”</p><p>“Sounds good to me,” Hiei stated.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya was slightly nervous about asking Bulma if she could just abruptly move in, but she knew she had no reason to be.  Bulma seemed to act as Kaiya’s motherly figure while her mother was in another country, and it made the princess feel safe and wanted.  The elder woman had always been welcoming to her, even though they met in the strangest of circumstances.  Still, this was a big thing to ask, and with Vegeta, Yamcha, and her and her parents all living there now, it would be awkward to ask for her and her boyfriend to join in the chaos.</p><p>“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Bulma asked while welding two pieces of metal together to fix a broken training robot Vegeta had destroyed earlier.</p><p>“Well, Hiei and I were talking,” Kaiya started.  “Do you think it would be possible, if it’s not too much trouble, if Hiei and I moved here?  He’s worried Jiro would be able to easily break into my apartment, and I’m starting to worry about that too.”</p><p>Bulma turned off her torch and turned to Kaiya while wiping oil off of her hands.  “I don’t see why not,” Bulma said quickly.  “We have a ton of space here, if you haven’t noticed.  Besides, you know my mother loves to see you and I could use some female company.  There is too much testosterone in this house, don’t you agree?”</p><p>Kaiya chuckled a little bit.  “Yeah, but Hiei would only add to it.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, we can complain together and watch chick flicks while they all try to throttle each other,” Bulma joked.  “Seriously, I think it’s a good idea too.  It’s not too far from the school, your brother is here, there’s plenty of food for everyone, and it’s safe.  Hiei didn’t have a bad idea.  I’m surprised none of us thought of it sooner.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled at Bulma.  “Yeah, we probably should have.  Vegeta mentioned it once, but I really never lingered on the thought.  Anyways, now that we have that cleared up, I need to start working on packing my apartment up.  But first, I have a training session to get to.”</p><p>“Have fun,” Bulma said warmly.  “Vegeta doesn’t say it, but I know these training sessions he has with you does him a lot of good.  It’s better than when he trains alone.  Maybe you’ll rub off on him when you move in.”</p><p>“Let’s hope,” Kaiya replied.  “Anyways, talk to you later.”  With a new plan ahead of her, Kaiya speedily headed out to the GR.  Bulma just chuckled at the young Saiyan girl before turning back to do her work.</p><p>“Bulma, what did you just do?” she heard Yamcha ask from behind her.</p><p>Bulma sighed and shut her torch off again.  “What do you mean, Yamcha?”</p><p>“You just invited another Saiyan to live here,” he muttered.  “Isn’t one enough?”</p><p>“Oh chill, Yamcha.  You’re just upset because she insults you and Vegeta drives you crazy,” she pointed out.</p><p>“They don’t drive you crazy?” Yamcha asked in shock.</p><p>“Not really,” Bulma replied nonchalantly.  “Kaiya acts like a girl raised on Earth, and I’m actually happy to have her around.  Vegeta is just stubborn and cranky half the time and the other half, he’s just present.  They’re both not that bad, at least not as bad as you think.”</p><p>“Whatever, I’m not even having this discussion with you,” Yamcha said in frustration.  “I’m going to go train in the gym.”</p><p>“Alright,” Bulma responded.  “I’ll be up in a bit.  Mom’s been cooking snacks all day.”  Bulma then looked at the clock.  “I wonder what time they’ll be done with training.”</p><hr/><p>Kaiya arrived outside and found Vegeta and Hiei now sparring outside of the GR.  Both of them looked seriously exhausted, and they both paused in their fight when they sensed her walking up to them.  “Well?” Hiei asked.</p><p>“Yeah, we’re moving in,” Kaiya said with a smile.  “Which will be good because we can train and rest together and keep each other safe.”</p><p>Hiei nodded to her and fell out of his fighting stance, walking over to his sword leaning against a tree.  He turned to the two of them and said, “I’ll work with my sword while you two spar.”</p><p>Vegeta grunted in response and turned to his sister.  She was smiling brightly at him, completely happy that soon they’d be living together.  “We’ll get to play more catch up, too,” Kaiya told him.  “I would love that.”</p><p>Vegeta softened a bit, also happy that she would be close by.  He didn’t let it show, though, as he motioned for them to enter the GR.  Kaiya followed Vegeta, her tail swishing around excitedly.  Vegeta smirked slightly as he watched his sister run passed him in the GR.  He hadn’t seen her this happy in a while.  Sure, she was excited when he came home, but now, she was just overjoyed.</p><p>“Ready?” Vegeta asked, calling the girl’s attention to him.  She looked over to him, smiled, and nodded.  “Okay, get into your stance.”</p><p>Kaiya did as Vegeta ordered, and he noticed that her stance had gotten significantly better sine the first time they trained.  She must have been training a lot while he was away.  The thought filled the Saiyan prince with pride.  Even if she didn’t have an efficient trainer while he was away, she seemed to pick up techniques quickly and that would help her.</p><p>For the first time, Kaiya decided to go on the offensive and sprung out of her stance, taking Vegeta by surprise.  How much had she changed since the last time they fought?  Vegeta was able to block her punch at the last second, grabbing her fist before releasing her and directing a kick her way, using significantly less force than he was used to.</p><p>Kaiya managed to dodge it, quickly going behind him and attempting to kick him back.  Vegeta again blocked her as the two of them kept throwing, blocking, and dodging each other’s hits.  Kaiya started laughing, having fun at the prospect of at least keeping up with her brother, not caring that she wasn’t getting a hit in.  Similarly, Vegeta was enjoying himself and actually caught himself smiling.  These were how Saiyan siblings fought to bond, and it made Vegeta feel that joy that Kaiya had felt earlier.  That was until her tail curled around his leg to steady herself.  Then Vegeta just saw red as he was launched into a memory from his past.  Kaiya and the GR did not exist in that moment, as he was mentally transported back to Frieza’s ship with his tormentor staring him down.  The problem with that was now Vegeta could fight back, and it wasn’t going to be Frieza he was attacking.</p><hr/><p>Hiei was busy working with his sword.  After the number of times his blade broke, Kaiya offered to take it to Bulma to see what they could do with it.  The scientist suggested enforcing the blade with a stronger steel alloy, and worked on it for a couple of days.  After fighting with Vegeta the day prior, Hiei realized that one of his problems, though not the most major, was that he had less control of the blade than he was used to.  It was something he would easily be able to adjust to, but he wanted to start working on it sooner rather than later.</p><p>After getting used to his basic moves with the enforced sword, he sensed both Kaiya’s and Vegeta’s energy spike.  That was a problem, as he did not sense energy in the ways that the Saiyans could.  He could sense their emotions with the Jagan, and he felt Kaiya’s fear and Vegeta’s rage.</p><p>He didn’t wait a second before he forced his way into the GR.  He couldn’t believe the sight he had walked in on.  For some reason, Vegeta looked like he was going to attack Kaiya.  Hiei was temporarily out of it as he heard Kaiya pleading with her brother.  Vegeta didn’t seem to hear her as he got closer to her.  Hiei could sense Kaiya trying to use her telepathy to communicate with her brother, but he couldn’t get a specific thought.  The orb Vegeta was holding decreased in size, so whatever Kaiya was doing was working, but Vegeta still had the intent to kill flashing in his eyes.  Ignoring the heightened gravity he wasn’t yet accustomed to, he raced towards Kaiya before Vegeta even had time to attack her.  Vegeta’s confusion was evident and his blast disappeared before he ever released it.</p><p>Vegeta, now back in reality, was trying to get a grasp of where he was and what he was doing.  He wasn’t surprised to find that he was in the GR, but he was stunned when he saw his sister standing directly across from him where Frieza had been a second ago and Hiei standing protectively in front of her, glaring daggers at him.  Vegeta quickly realized what was going on.</p><p>“Vegeta,” Kaiya breathed out before Vegeta took off out of the GR.  Hiei was about to follow him, but Kaiya grabbed his arm, stopping him.  He glared back at her, gritting his teeth.  “Don’t,” she pleaded with him now, sounding more concerned than frightened.  “He didn’t know it was me.  I was trying to get through to him.”</p><p>“What do you mean he doesn’t know it was you?” Hiei snapped.  “He was looking straight at-“</p><p>“Frieza,” Kaiya finished, interrupting Hiei’s statement.  “He thought he was fighting Frieza.”  Hiei looked at her as if she had lost her mind.  Kaiya just sighed sadly and let go of Hiei’s arm.  “Remember those times I space out?” she asked.  When he nodded, she continued.  “Flashbacks…nothing but flashbacks.  It’s like reliving a certain event in your life over and over again.  You don’ know this, but sometimes when we’ve fought, I’ve had flashbacks of Jiro and what happened, which is why I usually end up getting knocked out by you.  It takes us out of the fights we’re currently in.”</p><p>“That…sounds like the worst ability I have ever heard of,” Hiei said in shock, his voice softer than before.  He looked towards the direction Vegeta headed and actually felt bad for the prince.  He couldn’t even imagine thinking he was fighting his worst enemy while his sister was really the one sitting in front of him.</p><p>Kaiya started walking outside.  Without looking at Hiei, she said, “I’ll be back,” and then took off.</p><hr/><p>When Vegeta couldn’t feel anyone’s ki anymore, he finally landed.  He could not believe how close he was to hurting his sister, to being like <em>them.  </em>He knelt down on the ground and realized that he somehow ended up at a stream.  He didn’t really care where he was at that moment.  Right now, he just needed to be away from his sister.  How could he have let something like that almost happen to her?  He was supposed to be her protector, not her attacker.  He had tried so hard to protect her on Frieza’s ship.  Where it had started out as an assignment, he knew he cared back then.  Despite how much he had changed over the decade, he still felt obligated to the girl.</p><p>His energy was fluctuating rapidly in his rage, and that made it easier for Kaiya to find him.  She touched down to where he was, seeing him sitting on the ground, rubbing his eyes as if he were trying to wipe away the remnants of memories.  Kaiya walked over to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, startling him.  He hadn’t sensed her energy, too upset to focus on anything but his own failure, and was ready to scream at whoever thought it was okay to bother him, but shock quickly plastered itself on his face when he saw his sister standing over him.</p><p>He looked into the stream, away from her.  “You should be as far away from me as possible right now,” he said without his usual forcefulness.  His voice sounded empty and dark, making Kaiya frown.  “I can’t believe I almost let that happen.”</p><p>“Hey, Geta,” Kaiya said softly while sitting down next to him, “it was not your fault.  I get trapped in my memories too sometimes.  You couldn’t control it.  That’s why I was trying to force you out with the telepathy.”</p><p>Vegeta froze and looked over to her.  “Is that what that push was?” Vegeta said in exasperation.  “I thought I was going crazy for a second.  I randomly heard you voice.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled and nodded.  “Yeah, that was me.  I was trying to snap you out of it and it kind of worked.  Your attack had decreased in strength.  You snapped out of it fully when Hiei entered the GR.”</p><p>Vegeta looked away again, completely irritated.  “That should have never happened,” Vegeta growled out.  “I shouldn’t have let that take over my mind.”</p><p>“Vegeta, it was my fault,” Kaiya said to him.  Vegeta flashed her a glare, about to scold her for blaming herself, but she held up her hand to stop him.  “I’m not just saying it because I feel responsible.  I am responsible.  My tail curling around your leg pushed you into the memory.  I should have curled it around my waist like I’ve been doing.  It incited the memory.  I’m sorry.”</p><p>Vegeta scoffed and looked away.  “It doesn’t matter what caused it,” Vegeta said as calmly as he could.  “The fact that it happened and you nearly got hurt because of it…you shouldn’t be around me.”</p><p>Kaiya rolled her eyes and leaned against Vegeta, pulling him into a hug.  “I’m twenty years old, Vegeta,” she told him.  “Only I can decide who I want to be around.  I don’t blame you, not even a little.  I know you saw Frieza, and I know what you must be feeling right now, but you can’t let it get to you.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having these flashbacks less and less ever since we started training.  I think, if we work together on this, that we can figure out a way to overcome this stupid ability.  Just don’t beat yourself up for it.”</p><p>Vegeta perked up a little bit, and Kaiya felt happy thinking that she had gotten through to him.  Instead, she gave him an idea, and not about the flashbacks either.  “Go back,” he instructed her.  Kaiya didn’t move, but looked at Vegeta with her sad and questioning eyes.  “Don’t worry,” he told her.  “I’ll be back shortly.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled at him and stood up, bending down to kiss his cheek.  “Okay, and then we can talk about me moving in.  Actually, I think I’ll get Hiei to come help me pack now.  I can’t wait to spend more time with you.  Love you, Geta,” she said before flying back to the compound.  Vegeta watched her, thinking about her words.  He still didn’t think he deserved her blatant trust, especially with what had almost happened, but now he was intrigued.  Was there really a way to limit the abilitiy?</p><p>Vegeta finally stood up, determined to figure it out for himself.  He made it back to the compound and sensed the woman inside the house with her mother and the weakling.  His sister and Hiei were already heading back to the apartment, so he was alone.  His face was emotionless as he walked into the GR.  He shut the door and found the repaired bots inside.  Ignoring the fact that the woman had fixed them in record time, he just focused on how it good it was for those bots to be there.  He continued over to the control panel and turned the gravity all the way up, despite not being able to handle it fully.  The bots were activated as he entered as he entered a few codes.  Vegeta turned to them and stared them down as he struggled to hold himself up and breathe.  He sent a blast that he knew would be reflected back at him and began a form of “training” that he hadn’t used in years.  Self-inflicted injuries were not the ideal way to train, but he needed to recreate those moments in his past and train himself out of the memories.  It was better the bots than his sister on the receiving end.</p><hr/><p>Bulma was in conversation with her mother while Yamcha was snacking on a bunch of her mother’s desserts.  Her mother was rambling on about Vegeta and how hard a worker he was.  Where Bulma agreed, she was also greatly concerned for him.  He was too stubborn to listen to her and take a break, and it was only a matter of time before he reached the maximum gravity on top of that.  She would need to upgrade it before he got there or else there would be complications.  She knew he had only gotten a little more than halfway to the maximum setting and was currently working on the system upgrade with a safety shutdown system in case he was in there for too long.  There was only so much machines could do at a time.</p><p>The sound of an explosion, and the shaking of the house made Bulma’s blood run cold as she and Yamcha ran to the backyard to see what caused it.  It was surreal, Bulma felt, seeing the Gravity Room in pieces and not seeing Vegeta anywhere.  “W-Wha…?” she tried to say before running over to the machine.</p><p>“I knew this would happen,” Yamcha said from behind her.  “He’s been trying to do the impossible.”</p><p>Bulma ignored her boyfriend for the moment and got down to her knees to try and locate the Saiyan prince.  Her heart was racing, fearing for her friend’s life as she removed debris from her own machine.  Eventually Vegeta’s hand shot out, startling her as she fell back and knocked over Yamcha.</p><p>Vegeta managed to pull himself out of the debris.  He had not planned to go that far, but the anger he felt from the memories had been too high and he let out more energy than he intended.  Had he not sent a blast to counter the original blast, he would have ended up killing himself.  Maybe forcibly trapping himself in the past wasn’t his greatest idea, but he had gotten himself out of it at the last second, so it was a small victory.</p><p>“You…you okay?” he heard Bulma ask as he worked on catching his breath.</p><p>“Of…course I am,” he lied, attempting to stand up.  After he stood up, Bulma felt relief, but couldn’t help but scold the prince for nearly destroying the compound.</p><p>“What are you trying to prove?” she shouted at him.</p><p>Vegeta couldn’t help but smirk and chuckle.  He wasn’t trying to prove anything, like she seemed to think.  She didn’t really understand his training methods.  Unfortunately, he did more damage to himself than he wanted and ended up falling back down to the ground.  He expected to be left alone in the rubble, to be scolded at more for his mistakes, but instead Bulma rushed over to him and started whispering words of comfort to him.  Vegeta tried to get her away from him, repeatedly telling her he was fine and suffered worse, but she wouldn’t have it.</p><p>“You need to rest now,” she told him.</p><p>Vegeta then started to get irritated by her constant coddling and snapped at her.  “I take orders from no one!”  He made another attempt to get up but fell down unconscious, spending all of the energy he had for the day.</p><p>Both Yamcha and Bulma had shocked expressions on their faces, but for two different reasons.  Bulma couldn’t believe that, even when Vegeta was in a weakened state, he was still as stubborn and unwilling to accept help.  Yamcha, on the other hand, was shocked that his longtime girlfriend had been so kind to the murderous Saiyan prince.  The human felt like whatever happened in the GR was karma for all the harm Vegeta had caused.</p><p>“Yamcha, help me get him inside,” Bulma requested.  “He needs medical attention now.”</p><p>Yamcha was tempted to leave Vegeta out there and ignore Bulma’s request, but seeing her so upset…he had to comply.  Besides, he wasn’t like Vegeta.  He wouldn’t leave anyone to die, even if they were far from innocent.  Sometimes it was complicated living with aliens.</p><hr/><p>Kuwabara looked out into the distance, his head sharply turning to a certain point.</p><p>“Hey, you okay man?” Yusuke asked.  When Kuwabara didn’t answer, the spirit detective got worried.  “What’s up?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Kuwabara answered.  He sounded incredibly worried and that was never a good sign.  “Something’s wrong, Urameshi.  I can feel it.  Someone very close to us is hurt right now.”</p><p>Yusuke’s expression darkened as he struggled to give an order.  “Call Kaiya…now,” he said darkly.  Really, he was just trying to cover up his concern.  He didn’t think any of them would be able to handle it if something else happened to her.</p><p>“Yeah, Kaiya,” Kuwabara said into his cell phone.  “You’re okay?  Well, that’s good to know.”  Kuwabara was silent, meaning Kaiya was probably questioning Kuwabara.  He spoke up again moments later.  “Yeah, we can come by to help you pack up.  But what do you mean why am I asking that?”  There was more silence.  “Look, I just felt something…someone is hurt, someone close to us, so I assumed it was you with you-know-who running around.”  Kuwabara looked to Yusuke and the detective saw his eyes go wide.  “Yeah, we’ll take care of it.  We’ll head over there right now.  Go see what happened.”</p><p>Kuwabara hung up the phone and walked over to Yusuke.  “Um, we need to go work on packing her apartment.  Hiei has deemed the apartment unsafe.”</p><p>“Well, yeah…” Yusuke agreed.  “Wait, where were you telling her to go?”</p><p>Kuwabara looked away from him before saying, “I think something happened to Vegeta.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 10 - Beach Trip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters, or the dialogue from random B/V DBZ scene (you’ll know it when you get there).  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Within the next few days after the training accident, Kaiya’s stuff was already moved into Capsule Corp.  She was very thankfully for her friends, cousin, and sister for taking care of everything while she and Bulma took turns keeping vigil over Vegeta.  He still hadn’t woken up yet which meant his injuries were slightly more severe than anyone would have liked to believe.  Kaiya rarely left his bedside, worried that he’d be out of it from the drugs when he woke up and not remember where he was.  Bulma was the same, though she was the one who always brought food into the room so that Kaiya would be forced to eat.  She had the tendency to ignore food when she was upset or distracted, and right now she was both.</p><p>It was now nighttime on the second day Vegeta lied in the bed unconscious and Kaiya was getting more worried about her brother.  She had no idea what had happened in the GR after he had gotten back.  She and Hiei had left by that point so she could go home and start packing.  Part of her felt that she should have waited for him, to make sure he was really okay before she left.</p><p>She was getting tired, but she didn’t want to leave yet, so instead she laid her head down on her arms on the side of the bed and closed her eyes.  Hiei walked in moments later and sighed.  He had been hoping to get Kaiya out of the room and into bed.  He knew she hadn’t slept well the day before.  He didn’t know what he could do or say at this point.  It was obvious to anyone that Vegeta could take a lot more than most, and the fire demon was sure the Saiyan had seen worse.  He would be fine, but even if Hiei told her that, Kaiya still would refuse to leave Vegeta’s side even if it meant ignoring her own health.</p><p>Bulma came into the room after him with a tray of food and smiled.  Hiei would come by every few hours to check on Kaiya and she thought it was sweet.  “Hey,” she greeted him.</p><p>Hiei grunted in acknowledgement and the two of them walked over to the table next to the bed.  Bulma sat down as Hiei leaned against the wall.  “How much longer is he going to be like this?” he asked.</p><p>“Well, the doctors said a few weeks, but I highly doubt it,” Bulma admitted.  “Vegeta’s a Saiyan so he should heal rather quickly.  I mean, the doctors expected him to be dead after I brought him in.”</p><p>“And the medical profession continues to impress me,” Hiei muttered sarcastically.</p><p>Bulma couldn’t help but laugh.  “I take it you had a bad experience with doctors?”</p><p>“Not me,” Hiei said looking over to Kaiya’s sleeping form.</p><p>Bulma followed his field of vision and smiled sadly.  “You mean when whatever happened, happened?”</p><p>Hiei nodded.  “The doctors were morons.  If they couldn’t tell that Mayonaka was related to Kaiya when they’re identical twins then it’s no wonder they nearly cost her her life, though truthfully I blame Jiro for that.”</p><p>“I wish I was built like all of you so I could give that creep a piece of my mind,” Bulma admitted.  “No one should ever make their child feel the way he has.”</p><p>“You’d be surprised how things in the world truly work,” Hiei spoke truthfully.</p><p>Bulma didn’t know what to say to that.  Over the years, the once naïve teenager had learned that lesson the hard way.  Had she not gone on her adventure when she was a teenager, she would have never have been exposed to the real dangers in the world, and the only reason she had been on that journey was for the most misguided of reasons.  “You may be surprised, but I am not surprised by that.  I think I’ve seen more than any human ever has, and I’m sure it’s doesn’t even come close to everything you’ve all seen.”</p><p>Hiei shrugged but said nothing more as he continued to stare at Kaiya.  He was almost willing her to wake up, because he did not want to remove her from Vegeta’s bedside and have her wake up disoriented and confused as to where she was, but she also needed to get a night of comfortable sleep.  Sure, she was protected now not only by him but by a state of the art security system, but it didn’t mean she could ignore her own wellbeing.  If Jiro were to show up at any time, Kaiya would need to be ready to defend herself and hold him off if Hiei was not around, at least until Vegeta woke up and recovered.  It was one of the reasons that Hiei hadn’t told Kaiya he needed to leave for about a week yet.  There were a few things he needed to take care of in Demon World that he hadn’t yet, but he couldn’t leave her unguarded.</p><p>“So…” Bulma said to break the silence in the room, “I know you’re a demon, but where exactly are you from?  Kaiya hasn’t mentioned anything about that.”</p><p>Hiei hid his smile when Bulma said that Kaiya had kept quiet about his past.  He never doubted that he could trust her, but it was nice to have some assurance.  She never pushed him to come clean to Yukina, nor had she told any of her closest friends or relatives.  “My past and origin is none of your concern,” he stated, though his voice had a lightness in it instead of his usual irritation.</p><p>“Maybe not,” Bulma replied, “but it would be nice to know more about my housemates.  I know a lot about Kaiya and Vegeta now, so what about you?”</p><p>Hiei just looked up to Bulma and reminded her, “What you know about them is something you saw due to Kaiya’s power activating while both she and Vegeta were being mind-scanned.  One has to be willing to talk about their problems.  I am not.”</p><p>Bulma frowned slightly.  “Didn’t you learn about Kaiya’s past the same way?”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “Most of it I learned from her.  She gave us permission to enter her head.  Whatever we saw, she knew we’d have to talk about eventually.  Had she refused the scan, we would have left it alone, but she would have been in danger every time she got tossed into a nightmare or zoned out randomly.”</p><p>“I guess I see your point,” Bulma sighed.  “But if I hadn’t stepped in, he wouldn’t have known either.”</p><p>“I won’t disagree with that either,” Hiei grunted.</p><p>Bulma scoffed slightly.  “The two of you are impossible.”</p><p>Hiei shrugged.  “That may be, but you will never understand why.”</p><p>Before Bulma could retort, Hiei pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Kaiya.  He gently shook her, but she was completely out.  Sighing, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms before nodding over to Bulma and walking out.</p><p>Yamcha was coming into the room to talk to Bulma and came face to face with Hiei.  Hiei just glared at Yamcha, which made the human step back to allow the demon to take his girlfriend to their room.  He then entered the room, shaking his head.  “I will never understand that relationship,” he said in attempts to lighten the mood the medical room.</p><p>“Well, we don’t have to understand it,” Bulma replied looking back over to Vegeta.  “We just have to accept it.  The two of them are happy and that’s all that matters.  Besides, Vegeta is pretty overprotective of Kaiya, so if he’s okay with Hiei, we all should be.”</p><p>“Please, how could he even have an opinion?” Yamcha scoffed.  “He’s never around them long enough.”</p><p>“Oh Yamcha, don’t start,” Bulma breathed out in frustration.  “He’s around them more than us, and that’s how it should be, right?  We barely know him, and he did start out as our enemy.  He trains with them, too, so of course he’d know more about their relationship, don’t cha think?”</p><p>“Why do you always defend this guy?” Yamcha started to yell.  “Do you forget who he is?  He’s the bastard that came here to destroy the Earth and kill all of us!  He’s responsible for killing me!”</p><p>“No, I haven’t forgotten,” Bulma sighed, “but can you think about what’s going on now?  He hasn’t tried to destroy the planet or kill anyone since he found out about Kaiya.  I seriously don’t think we have to worry.”</p><p>“You don’t know that!” Yamcha shouted.  “How do we know he even cares about her?  It could be a front.  I mean, didn’t you say she wasn’t always part Saiyan?  What if he doesn’t see her as one?  It could be like Goku all over again.”</p><p>“This is different, Yamcha,” Bulma stated.  “You haven’t seen them together.  It’s so surreal.  Anyway, it’s getting late.  You should get to bed.  Don’t you have a game tomorrow?”</p><p>“Me?  Bulma, what about you?  You should get some rest too,” Yamcha suggested.  His eyes moved to the unconscious Saiyan and he scowled.  Bulma had been spending way too much time in the room for his liking, and it was time for her to leave.</p><p>“I’ll be in later,” he heard her voice say.  Yamcha’s eyes widened at being shot down.  He hadn’t been expecting Bulma to reject spending time with him, even if it was just sleeping.  Having been spending so much time with baseball, and her with the company and playing hostess to yet another Saiyan, Yamcha was starting to feel distance between them, a distance that had never been there before in their relationship.</p><p>“Bulma, nothing is going to happen if you come to bed,” Yamcha said as softly as he could in attempts to hide his irritation.</p><p>“I know,” Bulma admitted, “but like I said, I’ll only be a minute.”</p><p>“Fine,” Yamcha surrendered before storming out of the room.  Bulma couldn’t help but roll her eyes.  Her boyfriend had been acting strange as of late, especially when Kaiya moved into the compound.  It was almost as if he didn’t want the female demi-Saiyan there, which was odd because Kaiya usually kept to herself in this room waiting for Vegeta to wake up and that was just for the last few days.  Before, she kept to herself waiting for Vegeta to return to Earth.</p><p>Out of nowhere, she heard Vegeta’s voice, which she had not been expecting with him being so out of it and unconscious.  She could have sworn that she heard him say Goku’s Saiyan name.  She turned back to face him, seeing him cringing and beads of sweat rolling down his face.  She realized that he was having a nightmare and went over to check on him.  She wiped the sweat off of his face with a soft towel before stroking his flame-shaped hair.  She mentally laughed at the fact that she would never be able to do this if he weren’t unconscious.  This would be her secret and hers alone.  She did value her life after all.</p><p>He did calm down a little bit after that, but not by much.  Bulma remembered overhearing Kaiya and Hiei talking about her nightmares and how some of them are like reliving the past.  She wondered if that was happening to Vegeta right then, and what it was he was remembering.  Still, she was concerned.  If he was having a nightmare, it was possible he could be waking up soon.  He wouldn’t know where he was, so for the safety of this part of the house, Bulma decided to stay until he woke up.</p><p>She didn’t think she’d have to wait long, but over an hour later, Vegeta still hadn’t woken up.  Bulma was already asleep, lying her permed head on her hands.  Hours later, Vegeta finally woke up from his nightmare while trying to figure out what room he was in.  The last thing he had remembered was the GR and the explosion.  He deduced that he was in the medical room, but he had no idea how long he had been out for.  He turned his head slightly and saw Bulma asleep at a desk.  <em>What is she doing in here? </em>he thought to himself.</p><p>Well, he didn’t care.  His dream had left him wanting to train.  It was ironic to him that the thing that had put him in here was a memory, but what woke him up was the memory of his father’s words and the desire to be stronger.  Nothing else mattered to him in that moment besides training.</p><hr/><p>Hours later, it was morning, and Bulma was waking up.  She stretched her aching shoulders and then looked at the empty bed next to her.  At first, she didn’t react, simply blinking at the bed as if registering the fact that Vegeta was not there in her groggy state.  Once her mind was finally awake, she stormed out if the room.</p><p>Assuming the Saiyan was not an idiot and was just feeding his large appetite, Bulma flew towards the kitchen, hoping to see the Saiyan prince sitting at the table.  Of course, when she got there, he was nowhere to be found.</p><p>“Hey, babe,” Yamcha greeted lazily as he walked into the kitchen.  He was still waking up, so he didn’t even see Bulma’s panic-stricken face.  Sitting down at the kitchen table, he finally looked over to her and noticed that she was upset.  “What’s wrong, Bulma?”</p><p>“Vegeta wasn’t in the bed,” she said hurriedly as she started to look into the outer rooms in the kitchen.</p><p>Yamcha heard her loud and clear and the sleepiness he felt was replaced by panic, but for a different reason than Bulma.  “What do you mean he wasn’t in the bed?  I thought he was out for a few weeks.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, the doctors were wrong,” Bulma said in frustration.  Now she understood why Hiei couldn’t stand the doctors.  They would never understand these special circumstances, and could not use their normal education to diagnose anyone who wasn’t human.  “I just hope he’s okay.”</p><p>Yamcha groaned and used his hand to hide his face.  “Bulma, seriously, why do you care about that creep, anyway?  He’s not like us, and he came to destroy us.  You’ve already given him your home.  Why do you have to care about him too?”</p><p>Bulma shook her head.  She and Yamcha had been having similar arguments since he was wished back.  The human fighter did not understand why she chose to help Vegeta, but Bulma had always been free-spirited and welcoming, even if it wasn’t the wisest decision.  Then after seeing part of Vegeta’s past, she warmed up to the Saiyan.  He wasn’t just the creep who came to destroy their planet anymore, but the sweet guy who did everything to protect his sister.  The only thing was that Bulma would not reveal that.  She found out by manipulation, but she knew the Hiei was right and Vegeta did not like her knowing anything.  How would he feel is she revealed a private part in his life to her boyfriend just to end the argument?</p><p>“Seriously, Yamcha, this isn’t the time,” she responded blandly.  “I need to find Vegeta and get him back into bed.”</p><p>“If he’s out of bed, he’ll be fine, Bulma,” Yamcha huffed.  “You really need to stop treating him like his some wounded spirit.  He’s no better than scum we’ve fought before.”</p><p>Bulma flashed a glared at Yamcha.  She wasn’t surprised that he was insulting Vegeta; he did it all the time.  This time, though, he attacked his character and revealed that he saw him as less than a person.  “Yamcha, grow up,” Bulma said sternly.  “Doesn’t the fact that he came back to his sister and kept his promise show you he is different?”</p><p>Yamcha was about to respond when Kaiya ran into the room looking around as Bulma had been doing earlier.  Panicked didn’t even begin to describe how she looked.  She looked terrified.</p><p>“Kaiya, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Bulma asked, forgetting the fight she had just had with her boyfriend.  She walked over to Kaiya, put her hands on her shoulders, and felt her shaking.  Something was really upsetting her.  “Are you okay?”</p><p>“W-where’s Vegeta?” the girl stuttered.  “He wasn’t in the bed.”</p><p>“I know,” Bulma replied while rubbing her shoulders.  “I’m still looking for him.  But seriously, are you okay?  You’re shaking.”</p><p>Kaiya looked taken aback by Bulma’s question and looked away. “I-I’m fine.  Just had a bad…I mean, it’s nothing.  Where could he be?”</p><p>“Probably flew the coop,” Yamcha grumbled from the table.  “Like always.”</p><p>“Okay, that’s it,” Kaiya growled as she faced Yamcha.  “I don’t care what you have against my brother. I’m sick of hearing you take jabs at him all the time.  At least he doesn’t act like an ass and flirt with other girls around his girlfriend in front of the other girl’s boyfriend.”</p><p>Kaiya flashed out of the room, anger and fear radiating off her in waves.  Bulma blinked at the spot she had been standing in before and Yamcha just looked dumbfounded.  Yeah, he knew that Kaiya had been mad at him for the first time they met, so he could let that go, but he didn’t not understand what had her so upset that she now decided to confront him on it.  “Um, I can go talk to her,” he suggested awkwardly.  Part of him felt bad for upsetting the younger girl.</p><p>“No,” Bulma sighed.  “I don’t think she’d like that.  I’ll go talk to her.  Yamcha, can you please do me a favor?”  Yamcha nodded when he saw the hope in Bulma’s eyes.  “Can you just go look for Vegeta?  I don’t want her to be worried.”</p><p>“Sure,” Yamcha agreed reluctantly before getting up from the table.  “Um, can you let her know I’m sorry?”</p><p>Bulma nodded once before going after Kaiya.  It wasn’t strange that Kaiya went straight back to her room, but hearing broken sobs was not a good sign.  Curiosity took Bulma as she peeked through the cracked door and found Hiei hugging Kaiya and rubbing her back.</p><p>“It’s going to be okay, you know,” he said calmly, though his expression was full of anger.</p><p>Kaiya buried her face in his chest and weakly nodded.  “I know, but I hate these premonitions.  I can’t tell if they’re dreams or if something bad is going to happen.”</p><p>Hiei pulled her back and stared into her eyes.  “Your brother is stronger than anyone I’ve met, even the strongest demons in Demon World.  I’m sure he’s fine now.  It was just a dream.  Even if he was weakened, there is no way that Jiro would have gotten to him.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya muttered into his chest.  “Rationally, I know.  It’s just that, well, we don’t know if it’s just a dream.”  She sat up and pushed her hair from her face as she tried to dry her tears.  “The last time I had a dream like that, Jiro attacked me.”</p><p>Bulma refrained from gasping.  She had no idea that Kaiya’s abilities included possibly seeing the future.  From what she could gather, it sounded like the girl had had a bad dream regarding Vegeta and Jiro.  It made sense that she had been so shaky when she was searching for Vegeta.  “The last time you had a dream like that,” Hiei said interrupting Kaiya’s thoughts, “none of us were prepared.  You were outside and alone, with no protection.  That was my fault.  I shouldn’t have left you out there.”</p><p>“It wasn’t your fault,” Kaiya stated.  “I asked for time alone.”</p><p>“My point is,” he said placing a hand against her cheek, “we were not prepared and you were not protected.  Now we’re prepared.  We’re in a high security building, and when Kurama was here he planted some of his guard plants.  Had Jiro shown up, we would have known.  That only leaves this as an option.  Vegeta is fine, and he’s probably off somewhere training.  Once again, human doctors prove to be idiots.”</p><p>Kaiya giggled at the remark.  “Yeah, I can agree with that.  Remember, mom works with them and I hear plenty of stories.”  She released a sigh as she nuzzled against Hiei’s neck.  “Do you really think Vegeta is okay?”</p><p>“I think we’d be the idiots if we thought anything different,” Hiei replied with sincerity.  “You need to stop worrying.”</p><p>“Oh shut up,” Kaiya laughed and playfully smacked his shoulder.  “Okay, well if he’s better and out training, then we can still invite him on the camping trip.”  Hiei just nodded as Kaiya leapt up from their spot on the floor.  “Well then I need to find where he is.”</p><p>“Hn,” came Hiei’s stunted reply.  “Let me know when you do.  I need to talk to him.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled sweetly at Hiei before starting to leave the room.  Bulma moved to hide in the room next to theirs so that she wouldn’t be found out.  The good news was that Hiei seemed sure that Vegeta was awake and healthy, training somewhere.  Bulma scoffed and shook her head.  She had thought that Vegeta would do the sensible thing and not overdo the training on day one, but now it made more sense why he couldn’t be found.  He had been under their noses the entire time.  Well, Bulma was not going to have him training in the thing that put him in the medical ward today, especially since she hadn’t tested her father’s original design.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was definitely in the GR, but only doing some light training.  He was focusing his energy, inverting himself in the air at a higher gravity.  His muscles were aching, probably signaling that he should take a break, but his dream made him eager to resume his heavy training.  As he was contemplating his next move and spinning in the air, a screen he did not know was there activated and revealed Bulma, and then she started berating him.</p><p>“Stop it, Vegeta,” Bulma shouted at him.  “You are in no condition to be doing this right now.”  Vegeta rolled his eyes and continued his exercises, ignoring her.  Eventually she’d get bored and go away, or at least that was what he had hoped.  “I know you don’t want to believe this, but you are made of flesh and blood.”</p><p>“Stop pestering me, woman,” Vegeta replied curtly, finally getting agitated with her nagging.  “Leave me alone.”  But no sooner as he said that, did the strain he started feeling minutes ago take its toll on him.  He tried to avoid shouting in pain, and merely grunted his discomfort before falling out of the air and back down on the floor of the GR.</p><p>“You know I’m right,” Bulma said over the monitor as she watched him trying to get up, “so why don’t you just be quiet and do as I say.”  Vegeta didn’t respond to her, nor did he even look at the monitor.  “Nothing to say?” Bulma antagonized.  “Well, that’s good.  Now go back to bed and get some rest.”</p><p>Vegeta opened his eyes and looked to the monitor defiantly.  “Not yet,” he forced himself to say.  “I do have something to say.”</p><p>“Huh?” Bulma questioned as the shock plaster her face.  “What?  Is something wrong?”  Then something hit her; she was supposed to be angry with him for his nonchalant attitude regarding his health.  “Or maybe you’re going to apologize to me, is that it?  Well, if that’s the case, then let’s hear it.”</p><p>Having had enough of the woman’s lecture, Vegeta shouted, “Leave me alone!”</p><p>Bulma’s mouth gaped open in both shock and hurt.  She had only been trying to help.  “Bulma?”  She turned to face whoever called her and saw Kaiya coming down the stairs into the lab.  “Everything okay?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Bulma lied.  “Everything’s fine?  I found Vegeta.”</p><p>“Where is he?” Kaiya asked hopefully, wanting so much for Bulma to tell her that her dream was false.</p><p>“Training in the GR,” Bulma told her with a sigh.  “He’s refusing to come out, but he’s still in no condition to be training.  He told me to leave him alone.”</p><p>“Is that why you look so sad?” Kaiya inquired as she moved to sit on a table.  “You shouldn’t take it personally.  He just doesn’t like to appear weak.  If there’s anything I’ve learned about him, it’s that.  But don’t worry; I can get him out of there.”</p><p>Bulma perked up a bit and astonishment covered her face.  “You really think so?”</p><p>Kaiya nodded and smiled.  “Yeah, just leave it to me.”</p><p>Bulma chuckled lightly as the girl disappeared from the room.  She had a feeling that Kaiya really could talk some sense into Vegeta, how she didn’t know, but she could definitely do it.  With that, the Capsule Corp. heiress started to do her work, ignoring the fact that she had felt hurt by Vegeta writing her off.  She didn’t even know where that feeling came from, but she was not going to focus on it.  There were more important things to do than think about why it stung so much that Vegeta didn’t seem to like her.  Bulma shook her head again and began to work on plans for another invention.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta finally managed to get up from the spot on the floor.  He knew he had been overdoing it, and being distracted by Bulma did not help him concentrate on his own energy.  A knock on the door was heard, and he growled and shut off the increased gravity.  Thinking it to be the woman, he got ready to berate her for disturbing him, but froze when he opened the door and saw Kaiya standing there with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face.</p><p>“Morning, brother,” she greeted.  “I’m glad you’re okay.”  Vegeta blinked a few times, not knowing what to say.  Only days before, he had nearly hurt her and she was treating him as if nothing happened.  She was such a strange child, he mused.  “So…I wanted to know if you wanted to go camping with me, Hiei, and our friends.  We’re going to the beach, so it’ll be even better.  What do you think?  It would be a good break, no?”</p><p>Vegeta still didn’t speak, but he did step out of the GR and closed the door behind him.  Kaiya’s smile faltered a bit when he didn’t answer her.  He started to walk toward the compound without answering her, waiting for her to follow.  He sensed that she was not following and paused in his stride.  “It’s time for breakfast,” he said plainly, inviting her to go with him.  He didn’t see it, but he could tell her smile returned when he felt her energy rise in excitement.  It always amazed him how the smallest things could raise her spirits.</p><p>Hiei was in the kitchen when they entered, leaning against the wall next to the table as he waited for Bulma’s mother to finish making breakfast.  When he saw Kaiya and Vegeta enter, he nodded over to them before taking a seat.  Kaiya sat down next to him and took in hand in hers under the table.  Vegeta wasn’t sure what the gesture meant, but he saw Hiei blush, so it must have had some type of significance in the Earthling culture.</p><p>“Oh, good morning, Vegeta,” Bunny greeted.  “I had no idea you were awake, though I should have assumed with Bulma down in the lab already.  Hm, I hope she didn’t skip breakfast.  That wouldn’t be good for her, so hard at work.  Come to think of it, you probably feel the same with all of your hard work.  Don’t worry; breakfast will be ready in a minute.  Have to keep the strong, hard-working men fed, right you two…oh, but listen to me.  I’m a married woman.”</p><p>Hiei had been drinking a bit of water and nearly choked on it at what Bulma’s mother was insinuating.  Vegeta too became flustered, but just kept his arms crossed and attempted to keep the heat in his cheeks from showing.  Kaiya looked between her boyfriend and brother and just started laughing.  “You guys are so funny,” she said to them.  “She’s only teasing.”</p><p>“Again I say, I will never understand humans,” Hiei muttered.  “That’s almost as bad as the ridiculous pranks our so called friends played on us.”</p><p>“Oh lighten up,” Kaiya replied.  She looked over to Vegeta who sent her a questioning glance, probably about what Hiei was talking about.  It reminded her that where they knew so much about each other’s pasts from her power, they really knew nothing at all about each other’s character.  There was only so much they were shown, and a lot of it was just memories from when they were younger and only a few sporadic events from the recent past.  The trip would definitely be a good way to get to know each other more, as long as they spent some time alone away from her friends at some point.</p><p>Bunny served breakfast just as Bulma came upstairs from the lab.  When she saw Vegeta was sitting at the table, she mentally commended Kaiya for pulling him away from his training.  That was around the time Yamcha also got back from his search around the city.  He was about to tell Bulma he hadn’t found him, but it would have been a waste of breath seeing as Vegeta was right there.  “Good morning, everyone,” he said instead, nodding over to Bulma.  “So Kaiya, I see you found your brother.  I know you were upset earlier not being able to and all.”</p><p>Kaiya froze, looking like a dear caught in a headlight, as Vegeta looked over to her, this time wondering why she had been upset.  Hiei squeezed her hand in reassurance before shooting a glare in Yamcha’s direction.  Bulma face-palmed knowing that her boyfriend just dropped a huge weight on the poor girl.</p><p>“I…I wasn’t upset,” Kaiya lied.  “I was just concerned.”</p><p>“You did not have to be concerned,” Vegeta spoke up.  “Those wounds were nothing.”</p><p>“Can…can we just drop it?” she pleaded avoiding Vegeta’s intense scrutiny.</p><p>“I think we should,” Hiei stated simply before glaring at Yamcha again.</p><p>“What did I say?” Yamcha asked defensively.</p><p>“Yamcha, drop it,” Bulma said sternly.  She knew she was being just as defensive of Kaiya as Hiei was and caught the fire demon looking at her.  He probably knew she had eavesdropped yet again, and she was thankful that he wasn’t calling her out on it.</p><p>It got tense and quiet when Bunny came back into the kitchen to check and serve the food.  Kaiya kept her gaze on a spot on the table in front of her; Hiei was still having his stare down with Yamcha; Yamcha was looking nervously between Hiei and Kaiya, wondering what he had done wrong; Bulma was doing the same thing, but glancing between Vegeta and Kaiya; and Vegeta was just staring at Kaiya, annoyed that she was refusing to meet his gaze.  “So,” Hiei spoke up, “I spoke to the detective about camping trip.  They’re in.”</p><p>“O-oh?” Kaiya asked, glancing over to him with thankful eyes at a subject change.  “That’s great.  It’ll be a nice break.”</p><p>“What trip?” Bulma questioned, moving the conversation along even though she already knew about the trip.</p><p>Kaiya’s anxiety disappeared, which Hiei was prepared for, for the others, not so much.  “We decided a few days ago that we should go camping on the beach.  I just love going to the ocean.”</p><p>Vegeta instantly remembered seeing her on the beach the day before they officially met, before he knew she was his sister, and Hiei also said she loved the ocean and was always at peace there.  How could something like a simple body of water could have such a profound effect on his sister?  “When are we leaving?” Vegeta asked abruptly.</p><p>Kaiya’s face lit up, now knowing that Vegeta finally accepted her invite.  “Sometime tonight,” Kaiya responded.  “We’ll have to pack after breakfast.”</p><p>“Wait,” Yamcha spoke up.  “Vegeta, you’re going?”</p><p>Vegeta flashed a glare to Yamcha ad crossed his arms.  “What’s it to you?”</p><p>“I think the trip sounds great,” Bulma said quickly in attempts to evade another fight in the house.  “Kaiya, you better take a lot of pictures to show me when you get back.”</p><p>“I will, Bulma,” Kaiya replied.  She looked over to Hiei and smiled.  “This is going to be great.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei grunted, a small smile appearing on his face.  This was the happiest he’d seen Kaiya since Jiro came back.  He would never get tired of seeing her this joyous.</p><p>“Well, I hope you all enjoy yourselves,” Bulma said smiling over at Vegeta.  “I really do miss camping.  I think you’ll enjoy it, Vegeta.”</p><p>Vegeta responded with a grunt and continued to eat his breakfast.  The table grew silent again, but this time there was a lot less tension.  Kaiya finished two plates of food before she tried to sneak off.  Vegeta didn’t look at her, but he knew what she was trying to do.  “You haven’t eaten nearly enough, kid,” he stated.  “Sit back down.”</p><p>Kaiya grimaced at being caught, but mostly at being called “kid.”  “Geta,” she whined, “you know I hate that.”</p><p>“Don’t care,” he said in between bites.  “Eat more.”</p><p>“Fine,” Kaiya muttered before sitting back down and taking more food.  Hiei resisted the urge to chuckle.  He knew how much his girlfriend hated being talked down to, and that she hated this new food limit she had yet to get used to, but Vegeta handled it very well.</p><p>Yamcha, on the other hand, was just shocked.  Everyone was just acting like this type of behavior was normal.  Yeah, he assumed Kaiya was acting like her normal self.  Bulma did say that Kaiya acted like a girl who grew up on Earth, but Vegeta was Vegeta.  He was an alien and a killer, and he was not like normal humans, but here he was acting like a normal older brother.  Nothing made sense anymore.  He’d have to get more details from Bulma later.  Hopefully she wouldn’t bite his head off like all the other times they talked about the two Saiyans.</p><hr/><p>When breakfast was finish, and Vegeta excuse Kaiya from eating, the Saiyan prince followed his sister and Hiei up to their room so that he could figure out what exactly he had to pack.  He was also getting the chance to see Kaiya’s room for the first time.  He knew that Hiei would be like him and see it as just another room, so all of the decorations had to come from his sister.  As he studied them he could tell that she indeed loved the ocean as there were shells and many ocean creatures he had only seen from pictures she’d shown him.  Hiei did not seem to mind being surrounded by objects that made the room seem watery despite being a fire demon.  Come to think of it, he didn’t seem bothered by the beach when they battled either.  That would be a mental note to keep in mind for another point in time.</p><p>“So are they bringing the food?” Kaiya asked.  “We should probably bring a lot extra with Vegeta and me being there.”</p><p>“Don’t even worry about it,” Hiei ordered.  “Kurama and Kuronue are handling the food.”</p><p>Kaiya paused in her packing and looked over to Hiei sternly.  “They’re stealing again?  I thought they wanted to leave that life behind.”</p><p>Hiei just grinned.  “Once you feel the thrill once, it’s hard to overcome that urge.  Besides, we kind of have a pact, once a year.  That’s all.”</p><p>Kaiya rolled her eyes.  “Men,” she muttered before throwing some clothes in a duffle bag.  Then she looked over to Vegeta and smiled.  “So really all we need to pack is clothes and a bathing suit.  The guys took care of everything else.”</p><p>Vegeta did not like the idea of wearing Earthling clothing, but other than his battle suit, that was all he had, so he grunted in response and left the room.  Hiei and Kaiya continued to pack a few things, including her camera as Bulma requested, before Hiei shut the door.  Kaiya froze in what she was doing, curious as to why Hiei closed the door.  She felt his arms wrap around her waist and he pulled her into a comforting hug.  “Sorry about breakfast,” he said to her.  “Say the word and that human will be silenced.”</p><p>Kaiya chuckled, knowing he was only half joking about his death threat to Yamcha.  “Oh stop,” she giggled.  “You know you’re not allowed to kill humans…which…is why I don’t want you killing Jiro.”</p><p>It was Hiei’s turn to feel frozen, like all time had stopped, as he forced Kaiya to face him.  “Do you know what you’re saying?” he snapped at her, though it was more because he was worried and not angry.  “If he comes after you again, and I have the opportunity, I will not let him hurt you again.  I told you this.”</p><p>“Hiei,” Kaiya sighed, “last time it was different.  Last time, Koenma had no choice but to let it happen.  We were all going to be killed by them, humans AND demons.  But that doesn’t change the rules Spirit World has set upon demons.  Demons can’t kill humans.  Koenma won’t have a choice but to put you in Spirit World jail, and I’m not willing to lose you because of him.  He’s not worth it.”</p><p>Hiei’s face remained blank, not revealing any emotion.  He knew Kaiya was right.  Last time was a special case, but now Koenma wouldn’t be able to get them out of it if they did take Jiro’s life.  “There has to be some loophole,” Hiei muttered.  “But for now, until we can discuss the situation with Koenma, I will make sure that if he ever shows up that I don’t accidently incinerate him while defending you.”</p><p>“Good,” Kaiya replied with a soft smile.  “As long as that’s settled.  I’ve been dreading talking to you about this, but it needed to be said, especially when he came after me at Kakarot’s.”</p><p>“You know…you never did tell me what else happened that day,” Hiei brought up.  “How was officially meeting your brother’s rival?”</p><p>Kaiya just laughed and shook her head.  “It reminds me of yours and Yusuke’s rivalry, a little…I guess…except you guys didn’t hate each other.  But I liked Kakarot; he was nice.  Um, don’t tell Vegeta I said that though…not yet at least.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei agreed.  “Alright, we’re packed.  Let’s go bring this stuff out to the car.”</p><p>“Okay,” Kaiya chimed happily before picking up her bag and skipping out of the room.  She was still so excited about the beach, and not even talking about Jiro was going to bring her down.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta didn’t pack much.  He didn’t know how long they were camping for, but he felt safe with only packing two outfits and a pair of swimming trunks Bulma and her mother left for him.  He still didn’t understand Earthling clothing, especially when it could be destroyed so easily in combat.  It made him wonder how his sister and her friends fought in such rags.</p><p>As Vegeta was pondering Earthling fashion, Bulma came to the door and lightly knocked so that she wouldn’t startle the Saiyan.  He turned to see who was bothering him and nearly sneered at Bulma.  “What do you want, woman?” he growled.</p><p>Bulma ignored the bitterness and came inside the room.  She took his hand and placed a few capsule in his palm.  The Saiyan prince looked between her and capsules a few times before she said, “They’re capsule houses.  I figured it would be safer for you guys instead of tents.”  When Vegeta’s brow quirked in question, she added, “Kaiya will know what I mean.  Tents aren’t exactly durable.”</p><p>Vegeta grunted and placed the capsules in his duffle bag.  He stared at the bag, shuffling around in it even though he had nothing left to do in hopes that Bulma would leave, but she stayed and he realized he couldn’t get rid of her so easily.  Sighing in frustration, he muttered, “Yes?”</p><p>“I really hope you have a good time,” Bulma answered sincerely.  This made Vegeta turn to her, staring at her and studying her.  He was searching for a hint of derision and dishonesty, but instead he was looking into the eyes of a woman who looked, dare he say, concerned.  He attempted to avert his gaze, but the intensity was too much.  For the first time, he was not looking at her like he wanted to kill her.  He finally accepted that in some strange way, the two of them had become “friends,” or at least something close to it.</p><p>Bulma’s intense gaze shifted to a light-natured one.  She placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze and said, “I think this is just what you need to finally lay back and relax.  Make the most of it, okay?”</p><p>“Whatever,” Vegeta grunted out.  “Are we done?”  Bulma chuckled, but nodded, and then left the room leaving Vegeta behind with an array of perplexing thoughts, the dominant of which shouted, <em>“What the hell just happened?”</em></p><hr/><p>Kaiya and Hiei were waiting by the car when Vegeta finally came outside, and it reminded Vegeta of the time he went with them to Genkai’s temple.  This time was different, though.  He didn’t feel anger when he saw how Hiei was acting towards his sister, and he was also a little more welcoming to the idea of being around his sister’s friends.</p><p>“Well, we’re all packed now,” Kaiya said happily after Vegeta threw his bag into the back.  She closed the door and made her way to the driver’s seat.  “You guys ready?”</p><p>“A weekend near water,” Hiei mumbled, “sure.”</p><p>Vegeta grunted an affirmative, making Kaiya giggle.  “Then let’s go.”</p><p>“What took you guys so long?” Yusuke joked, having already gotten a fire started on the beach.  The others had finished setting up the tents earlier.  Vegeta remembered what Bulma had said about the tents, but he honestly saw nothing wrong with them.  Usually when Saiyans went to places such as these, especially on the planets they purged, they slept under the cover of night with no shelter whatsoever.  “We were starting to think one of us would have to come find you.”</p><p>“It was a crazy morning,” Kaiya replied curtly, signaling a change in subject.  “Where’s Kuronue?  And I though Keiko and Yukina were coming too.”</p><p>“Yukina wanted to stay with Genkai,” Yusuke stated.  “Keiko has some summer class stuff to deal with.  As for Kuronue…well, he had something else to do.”</p><p>“What?” Kaiya asked.</p><p>“I’ll talk to you about it later,” Hiei spoke up.</p><p>“You knew he wasn’t coming?” Kaiya questioned her boyfriend.  “What about Maya and Alexia?”</p><p>“They’re with Kurama getting some drinks and stuff for later,” Yusuke interjected.  “Don’t worry; we wouldn’t leave them unprotected.”</p><p>Vegeta said nothing at Hiei and Yusuke continued exchanging glances.  “Oh, hey Kaiya,” Kuwabara called out from a tent.  Hiei and Yusuke then flashed a glance towards him.  “Um, do you mind helping me with something?”</p><p>“Sure,” Kaiya said, walking over leaving Hiei and Yusuke alone with Vegeta.  When both of them looked at him, he knew something was up.</p><p>“Okay, we needed to get her away because honestly, we hate worrying her, especially when it comes to Jiro,” Yusuke explained.  “Kuronue is in Demon World right now warning a few buddies of ours about the threat of a demon hunter being on the loose.  There’s something called a Demon World Tournament starting up soon, and that decides the balance between Human, Demon, and Spirit World…and we just wanted to let them know so that it doesn’t cause an uproar at the tournament.”</p><p>“And I care why?” Vegeta asked, crossing his arms.</p><p>“Hiei is going to tell you that,” Yusuke stated.  “I was just explaining.  Kurama asked me to…surprising really.  Anyways, you two have fun.  I’ll keep Kaiya busy.”</p><p>Yusuke walked away leaving Hiei and Vegeta alone by the water.  Neither the fire demon nor the Saiyan prince decided to speak up.  Hiei continued to glance out into the water before taking in a deep breath and saying, “If certain individuals were to win the tournament, either Demon World would be blocked off from Human World again, or the block would remain down.  The biggest issue in the Makai right now is the right a demon has to eat a human.  That was what caused the rift between leaders there, and why Yusuke suggested a tournament to be our election.  Luckily, someone who believed demons and humans should coexist won, but he agreed to a three year term.  It’s been nearly three years, so we will have to leave to fight at some point.  Hopefully the same demon wins again so we don’t have to worry about the balance.”</p><p>“What of the other rulers?” Vegeta asked.  “Are they powerful, and what are their stances?”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei scoffed.  “Kurama’s old thieving partner from a time before Kuronue is one of them, and he believes that demons should feed on humans.  If he were to win, I have no doubt that Koenma would erect the Kekkai Barrier once more.  Only low level demons can get through in that sense, but then the more powerful demons will be angered and find ways into Human World harming whoever they want to curb their appetite.  Women and children are no exception.  That is why it is better to have peaceful coexistence.  I never cared before until your sister, but I do now.  Thankfully one of the other old rulers, Mukuro, has shifted her views.  She and I are comrades of sorts.  She is the one who made is possible for me to reside in Human World without question.  I’m supposed to be on border patrol right now.”</p><p>“I won’t even ask,” Vegeta grumbled.  Politics like this were nothing new to him, although he always knew who would be victorious in space conquests.  Frieza had enough power that no one would question him and those who did would be slaughtered mercilessly.  Still, Vegeta didn’t see the big deal.  From the sound of it, there was only one strong opponent who had the opposing view.  He’d be overpowered easily.</p><p>“Kaiya doesn’t know about the tournament,” Hiei continued.  “She knows of it, but she doesn’t know that I will have to leave for a while for training.  I’d rather not, and honestly if it was safe to bring her with me, I would.  Where Mukuro wouldn’t harm her, I can’t say the same for her soldiers, and there will be times where I am pulled away for something else.  That means I have to leave her here in Human World, with Jiro on the loose.  She…won’t talk to many people about what she’s feeling if she doesn’t fully trust them, but if she doesn’t talk, she gets depressed.  I know I don’t have to ask this of you, but look after her while I am gone.  I will do my best to be back as quickly as I can.”</p><p>“No, you don’t have to ask me,” Vegeta muttered, “but thanks for the warning.  I’ll make sure that bastard doesn’t bother her.”</p><p>“Another thing I need to ask of you,” Hiei stated awkwardly.  “I know you have no ties to my sister, but…I won’t be here if something goes wrong at the temple.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about her,” Vegeta replied.  “I’m sure Kaiya will want to visit her anyway.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei mumbled his thanks.  Then he grew quiet again.</p><p>“Yes?” Vegeta sneered knowing that there was still more.</p><p>“Kaiya explained to me what happened in the GR when you two were training,” he stated.  “All I will say is that I don’t hold it against you.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t have cared if you did,” Vegeta retorted.  The conversation ended there, another subject closed.</p><p>“Hey guys!” Alexia’s voice rang out.  “We got a ton of stuff for the weekend.  We also got pennies.”</p><p>“Pennies?” Yusuke whined.  “What for?”</p><p>“We’re going to play the penny game, silly,” Mayonaka answered.  “Oh, Kaiya, hey.  You guys made it.”</p><p>“Yeah, Maya,” Kaiya replied running over to hug her sister.  “And what penny game?”</p><p>“Apparently the one where you say something you’ve never done and then whoever has done those activities place pennies in a cup,” Kurama said as he carried some groceries over to a folding table.  “The girls insisted.”</p><p>“Do we have to?” Hiei grumbled.</p><p>“Why not?” Kaiya answered.  “It’s not a bad game or anything.  It’s kind of like an icebreaker.”</p><p>“A what?” Hiei asked with narrowed eyes.</p><p>“Um…” Kaiya whispered as she thought of a way to reply.  “It’s kind of like an exercise that people use when you need to get to know a group of people.”</p><p>“Don’t we already know each other enough?” Yusuke sputtered.  “No way are we playing some penny game.”</p><p>“It’s not a bad idea, Urameshi,” Kuwabara said.  “Actually, I’d kind of like to do it to find more out about the shrimp.”</p><p>“Excuse me?” Hiei sneered.  “What the hell do you need to know about me?”</p><p>“Well, you’re the brother of my girlfriend,” Kuwabara mentioned.  “You can learn more about me too.”</p><p>“There are other ways for that,” Hiei grumbled.</p><p>“Oh come on,” Mayonaka whined.  “Don’t be a spoil sport, Hiei.”</p><p>Hiei growled and clenched his fists before whispering to Vegeta, “And the immature brat returns.”</p><p>Vegeta chuckled slightly, understanding Hiei’s frustration.  He had no desire to play a petty human game, but the thought of getting to know his sister in some strange fashion did appeal to him.  There was only so much they spoke about if they spoke.  Most of the time they trained or just sat in each other’s company.  If anyone did any talking, it was Kaiya, but they never had those really deep conversations, just bits and pieces of information.  Plus, if the game irritated Hiei so much, Vegeta couldn’t resist.  “I say we play this game to shut them up,” he stated.</p><p>“Traitor,” Hiei murmured before heading over to the table.  “If we’re going to play this damn thing then we better do it now and get it over with.”</p><p>“Great!” Mayonaka exclaimed.  “Let’s do this.”</p><p>Chairs were set up around the table with eight bowls in front of everyone.  Each person was given a pile of pennies to throw into the bowl.  “Okay, who wants to go first?” Alexia asked.</p><p>“I’ll start,” Kaiya offered.  “Okay, let me think.  Never have I ever gotten into a food fight.”</p><p>“Food fight?” Vegeta questioned.  “What kind of idiotic activity is-“</p><p>“Human culture lesson 101,” Yusuke joked.  “School kids normally throw food and start a fight using food.”</p><p>“Such a waste,” Vegeta scoffed.  He was shocked when three people put pennies into their bowls: Yusuke, Kuwabara, and surprisingly Kurama.</p><p>“Really fox boy?” Yusuke asked in shock.  “You?”</p><p>Kurama laughed.  “It was too get my mother to stop worrying about me being different from other children my human age.  I was too mature, and she was considering sending me to a shrink, but then I surprised her by starting a food fight instead.”</p><p>“Wow,” Yusuke muttered.  “A calculated food fight.  Even when you rebel you have to plan it.  Craziness.”</p><p>“Okay, I’ll go a little crazier with mine,” Alexia stated.  “Never have I ever gotten drunk.”</p><p>Five pennies went in this time: Yusuke, Kuwabara, Mayonaka, Hiei, and Vegeta.  Vegeta didn’t really care about admitting it.  He was a teenager and that was the only time.  However, Hiei, Kurama, and Kaiya exchanged nervous glances with one another before looking over to Mayonaka who was frowning.  Hiei too was not happy about placing his penny in the bowl.  His drinking contest with Yusuke wasn’t his finest hour.  The atmosphere grew slightly tense, and worsened when Kuwabara asked, “Okay, what happened?”</p><p>“Ask them,” Mayonaka replied.  “They know more than I remember.”</p><p>Kaiya sighed and said, “You know we were just trying to get information about Kiense.  You’d been lying to us.”  Vegeta’s eyes widened when he heard his sister incriminate herself.  It sounded like she had gotten her sister intoxicated for information.  Such a confession came as a shock to the Saiyan prince.  “If it helps, I do regret it.”</p><p>“I know,” Mayonaka muttered.  “Anyways, never have I ever eaten a snow cone.”</p><p>“Oh my God, how is that even possible?” Kuwabara asked as he, along with Yusuke, Kurama, Alexia, Kaiya, Hiei, and even Vegeta, placed a penny in their bowls.  “Even the shrimp has had one.”</p><p>“Yeah, and the <em>alien,</em>” Yusuke teased.  Vegeta was about to blow up at the boy’s insolence, but saw the black-haired teen grinning at him.  He couldn’t believe it; Yusuke was actually treating him the way he seemed to treat all of his so-called friends.</p><p>“Speaking of,” Kurama spoke up, “Vegeta, why don’t you go next?  I’m interested to hear something you haven’t done.”</p><p>Vegeta was nearly speechless.  He looked over to his sister who was smiling brightly at him and nodded to him.  “Never have I ever,” he started before pausing to think of something, “seen Frieza in the shower.”</p><p>A round of laughter rang out on the beach but stopped when Kuwabara turned red and threw a penny in the bowl.  Everyone stared at him like he was insane before he sputtered out, “After that crazy mind scan stuff, I had a really screwed up nightmare.”</p><p>Everyone laughed again and this time Vegeta joined them.  That was just priceless.</p><p>Of course, Kuwabara didn’t find it funny and decided to turn it around on some of the others, though for the moment, he wasn’t thinking about Vegeta.  “Never have I ever killed a human.”</p><p>Silence.  All eyes shot to Kuwabara, some shocked, some angered.  Six pennies landed into the bowls from Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, Mayonaka, Alexia, and of course, Vegeta.  Kaiya just stared at Kuwabara with wide eyes before saying, “Really?  You really had to go there?”</p><p>Hiei had the intent to kill flashing through his eyes, but in his mind he was reminding himself that Kuwabara was his sister’s boyfriend.  Kurama, though normally calm, was completely enraged.  The only human he had killed was for the good of a mission, and, where the child was alive now, the decision was something he couldn’t rewrite.  Vegeta’s past was known, but bringing it up yet again and in front of his sister left a bitter taste in his mouth and the desire to rip the offending human to shreds.  Alexia and Mayonaka did not say where they killed before, nor was it really rocket science to know that for Alexia it was a mission and for Mayonaka it was an order from Kiense.</p><p>“And with that,” Yusuke said nonchalantly, “the game is now killed.  Thanks, Kuwabara.  That lasted less time than I thought it would.  Now we can actually eat something.”</p><p>Everyone left the table with the two teens still sitting before going off into different directions.  Mayonaka and Alexia went to their tent; Kurama went to his bag to take out a book he had brought with him; Hiei disappeared to who knew where; and Vegeta flew off, Kaiya taking off after him.</p><p>Vegeta knew Kaiya was following him, and slowed down so that she didn’t interpret his actions to mean he was trying to get away from her.  He had nothing against her being with him right now, but he needed to get away from Kuwabara for the moment if the boy was going to last until morning.</p><p>The two of them landed on a quiet part of the beach not too far away from the campsite.  Vegeta stood at the water’s edge, his boots getting wet from the incoming tide.  He expected Kaiya to come to him, but then looked over to see her taking off her shoes and then walking over to the water before sitting down in the sand and letting the ocean water soak her clothes.  Vegeta then decided to sit down next to her.</p><p>Kaiya stared out into the ocean with her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin resting on top.  Vegeta looked between her and the sea, still not understanding why she was so entranced.  “It’s so beautiful,” she whispered while gazing at the sunset sky.  “I love being out here, listening to the sound of the peaceful, yet forceful waves.  It’s an indescribable feeling.”</p><p>Vegeta simply nodded, taking her word for it.  He too decided to look out into the watery field in front of them, not doing or saying anything, but simply being.  The silence was nice, he admitted, but he realized that it wasn’t true silence.  The sound of the crashing waves and the calls of birds became a soundtrack for them.  For a moment, Vegeta felt at peace.  He could actually understood his sister’s feelings.</p><p>But then the moment ended when Kaiya sighed.  “Hey Vegeta?”</p><p>“Hm?” he pressed lightly, not wanting the peace to disappear.</p><p>“What was our father like?”</p><p>An amalgamation of mixed emotions took over Vegeta when he heard her question.  “Why do you ask?” he bit out sternly.</p><p>Kaiya grew nervous all of a sudden and started playing with her tail.  “Well, I…I just wanted to know.  Was he as bad as Jiro?  Did he hate me too?”</p><p>Vegeta didn’t want to answer that.  Yes, he had respected his father growing up, but his respect diminished when he was sent away to serve Frieza to protect the planet, a whole lot of good that did.  For his sister, he had sent her away for weakness, like Tarble, and then kept her existence a secret save from Nappa and obviously his mother.  It only meant that the Saiyan king had not cared much for his daughter, but Kaiya didn’t need to know that.</p><p>“He was a proud warrior,” Vegeta told her.  “Strength was everything to him until he allied with Frieza.  Then he became weak willed and spineless; however, he is my inspiration to getting stronger for two reasons, one being that he was the one who told me that I’d be the one most suited for becoming a Super Saiyan, and the other being that I do not wish to be as weak as he.”</p><p>Kaiya took in the information and nodded.  She decided to give Vegeta some information regarding Jiro since he answered her question about their father.  “Jiro was never like this when I was a kid,” she started.  “I have so many good memories of him in addition to the bad, which is what makes it harder to accept that my whole life he was playing me.  I was too naïve to even consider it, although there was a time when I thought he’d kidnap me.  Never expected to be kidnapped by an alien tyrant.”</p><p>Vegeta just grunted before looking over to Kaiya.  She looked sad, lost deep in her thoughts.  He didn’t know why he felt a small twinge of pain, but whatever the feeling was, he didn’t like it.  In seconds, Kaiya was in his arms, pulled into a hug that he initiated.  Her eyes widened when she felt the comforting embrace of her brother’s hug.  She felt protected, safe, and happy in that moment, especially since her brother always kept to himself or would hug her back awkwardly when she hugged him.</p><p>Vegeta released his sister moments later, feeling some sort of shift inside of him.  Never had he felt the kind of emotions or bonds with anyone save for her even when they were younger and she was just a little girl.  The two of them went back to sitting in peaceful silence reflecting on their change in relationship before Hiei appeared in front of them.</p><p>“Hey, koi,” Kaiya said, her voice lighter than it was earlier.</p><p>“Hey,” he greeted back.  “It’s getting dark.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya murmured as she buried her face against her legs.  “We’ll be back at camp in a bit, okay?”</p><p>“Fine,” Hiei growled.  “Just, be careful.”</p><p>“Of course,” Kaiya said with a smile.  Hiei flitted off after that, and Kaiya’s eyes met Vegeta’s questioning gaze.  “He doesn’t like me being out at night anymore, or in the rain.  I don’t like that either, though I do love stargazing.  I do miss going out for night walks to be alone, but I can live with it provided Jiro doesn’t get another chance to…”</p><p>The atmosphere between the two siblings grew heavy again as they both moved their gaze to the ripples in the water.  Vegeta understood Kaiya’s need to be alone at times.  He kept to himself for the most part, needing the solitude.  It had been a long time since he had had anyone caring for his wellbeing, so that was just normal for him.  Perhaps that was why he found himself trying to distance himself at times from Kaiya and from the woman.  Still, he didn’t like the idea of Kaiya being alone either, especially because Jiro’s presence shattered her confidence instantly.  If she could defend herself properly, Vegeta would be less concerned.  They’d have to work on finding an acceptable medium, especially since Hiei wouldn’t be around for an extended period of time.</p><p>“Well, we should probably get back,” Kaiya said, jolting up.  “You ready?”</p><p>“I guess,” Vegeta replied casually.  “I still want to kill that human, though.”</p><p>Kaiya let out a bitter chuckle.  “Don’t worry; I think they all do right now, especially because it serves as a reminder that Hiei and Kurama assisted them in fighting their own kind as probation and he pretty much threw it back in their faces.  Let’s just say that even though I didn’t know them then, I can tell no one likes to discuss it.  Sometimes the past is better left in the past.”</p><p>“Agreed,” Vegeta responded, though letting go of the past was not something he planned on doing any time soon.  Kaiya did not need to know that, though.  For now, he followed her lead and stood up from his spot in the sand, and then the two of them walked back to the campsite without another word.</p><p>Back at the campsite, food was already prepared and everyone had started eating.  No one was speaking, and Kuwabara was still looking as guilty as ever.  Kaiya and Vegeta joined them and, when everyone else was done, stayed back together to finish eating their many helpings.  After everyone turned in, save Hiei, things seemed a little less tense, and the three of them enjoyed the peace the night had to offer.  One thing was certain, at least for Vegeta; he definitely wanted to experience more moments like these.  Maybe coming on the camping trip wasn’t such a bad idea after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 11 - This Feeling, Dread?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another day came with the sun peeking over the horizon.   Vegeta was already awake before sunrise, as he was usually up at this time training.  Standing outside the tent with crossed arms, he looked at the orange orb in the sky, studying it with hardened features.   The wind was calmly blowing and fresh, yet the Saiyan prince felt something amiss.  He had woken up to this feeling.  He spent hours pondering this feeling.  Every time he looked back at the tent he shared with Hiei and Kaiya he felt this feeling.</p><p>Something was wrong.</p><p>Now, Vegeta had felt this feeling before only two times.  The first was when dealing with Frieza.  Anytime he had to deal with the now deceased tyrant, he felt a sense of dread, but also a sense of determination.  The other time he felt dread was when he was sent to the mudball he was currently standing on, and yet he still felt determination in the thought of training to fight Kakarot again.  This time, he simply felt dread.</p><p><em>That can’t be right, </em>Vegeta mentally scolded himself.  There was nothing for him to feel dread over.</p><p>He decided to go back into the tent and saw Hiei awake and hovering over his sister.  She was still asleep, but tossing and turning from nightmares.  That was another thing that was wrong.</p><p>Kaiya still seemed to get nightmares after she linked them in the mind scanner.  Vegeta, thankfully, had none whatsoever.  He had expected her to be fine as well once the truth was out, yet here she was suffering from those terrible dreams.</p><p>Hiei did not know Vegeta was awake.  He had woken up to Kaiya stirring in her sleep and had not been paying attention to the prince.  His main concern was Kaiya.  He attempted to coax her awake, but failed numerous times as she continued to throw her weight around in the sleeping bag.  When her eyes opened after a while, he sighed and pulled her into his lap, not pressuring her to talk.</p><p>Vegeta watched the two fire demons, Hiei stroking Kaiya’s hair.  The girl seemed to relax, but she continued to stare at a spot on the fabric floor.  “I…I can’t keep having this vision, Hiei,” she squeaked out.  “I can’t keep watching Jiro attack my brother.”</p><p>To say the Saiyan prince was appalled was an understatement.  His sister couldn’t possibly think him to be weak, yet she was now concerned about him fighting a human?</p><p>“You don’t know that the attack will cause much damage,” Hiei assured her.  “You knew from your vision what would happen to you, but you aren’t seeing more than just the attack.  Anything past that, we can only guess at.”</p><p>“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Kaiya whispered as she put her arms around her legs and buried her face within to hide her tears.</p><p>Hiei sighed and placed a hand on her back.  “Kaiya, it will be fine,” he stated simply.  “I killed Jiro before, somewhat easily.  We can do it again, and, according to Bulma, the Dragon Balls won’t bring him back again.”</p><p>“B-but,” Kaiya muttered, “what if it happens again?  What if I can’t get strong enough before he comes after me?  Last time…last time I did fight him, and it still wasn’t enough and you had to finish the battle for me.”</p><p>“You will be training.  I will be training.  We are all training, and he is not going to win,” Hiei told her with his voice filled with forceful optimism.  “Jiro is a failure, Kaiya.  He failed when it came to his deal with Frieza.  He failed in attempting to raise you to be fit for that lifestyle.  He failed in keeping you down.”</p><p>“But I failed in staying alive,” Kaiya reminded him.  “I failed when I told you to leave me alone.”</p><p>“Kaiya, enough!” Hiei shouted at her.  Vegeta glared at the fire demon for making his sister cringe, but he did agree that Kaiya needed to let go of the past.  That had to be what was holding her back.</p><p>Kaiya was looking at Hiei as if he had slapped her and pulled away from him.  Hiei was staring at her with a stern, yet apologetic expression.  He hadn’t meant to yell at her.  In fact, he always did his best to keep his feelings on the situation out of the discussion, but maybe that had been a mistake.  He sighed in frustration, placing his hand over his eyes for a minute and taking a deep breath.</p><p>“I didn’t mean to yell,” he said as calmly as he could muster.  “But you have to stop, Kaiya.  This is nothing new.  It’s what you’ve been saying.”</p><p>“But I still feel it,” Kaiya admitted.  “I can’t make it go away.  I’ve tried.  I’ve used the techniques Genkai taught me.  I’ve meditated like Vegeta taught me.  I can’t make the pain go away, Hiei.  I just can’t.”</p><p>“I understand,” Hiei revealed before moving over to where she was.  He sat next to her and looked to their tousled sleeping bags.  “Believe me, I understand.  I still haven’t let it go.  In fact every time I hear that bastard’s name, I feel rage that I didn’t think I could feel save for that night.”</p><p>Kaiya looked shocked, but accepted it and relaxed.  “You’ve never said anything,” she pointed out.</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “I did not want to upset you further.  You seemed to be doing fine before he returned.  You were not able to talk about that night, but you had accepted you weren’t at fault and that anything that happened was his doing.  He shows up again and we’re back to square one.”</p><p>Kaiya looked away in shame.  Hiei was right and she knew it, but she could not understand why she couldn’t let it go.  “I don’t know what you want me to do,” Kaiya said, the hurt evident in her voice before she scoffed.  “If you don’t want me to talk about it anymore, then I’ll just stay quiet.”</p><p>“Kaiya,” Hiei growled.  “That’s even worse and you know it.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter, Hiei,” Kaiya returned, telling Hiei that she was serious.  “I refuse to be a burden anymore.”</p><p>Hiei continue to stare at Kaiya who refused to meet his gaze.  He had not expected her to shut down on him.  “Kaiya, don’t do this,” he ordered.  “I was not telling you not to confide in me.  I was telling you that we need to work on this.  Stop being difficult.”</p><p>Kaiya’s expression softened before she looked over to Hiei.  The fire demon was taken aback by seeing an emotion she had never expressed before save the moment she learned Jiro was a demon hunter, distrust.  She had never expressed this emotion with him before, even when they first met and simply hated each other.  Kaiya had always trusted him, but now…he couldn’t get over the look she was giving him.</p><p>“Hiei,” she said sadly, “I already made this decision earlier.  When were you going to tell me you were leaving?”</p><p>Hiei was again shocked.  He hadn’t been planning on telling Kaiya until the time was right.  His thoughts, he believed, were well guarded.  The only one who knew other than him, Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuronue was Vegeta, and he had just told him hours earlier while Kaiya was out of earshot.</p><p>“You only thought I was out of earshot,” Kaiya explained having read his thoughts.  “You were keeping this from me for a long time, Hiei.  You lied to me.”</p><p>“I didn’t exactly lie,” Hiei countered.  “I just didn’t tell you what was going on.”</p><p>“Like Jiro,” Kaiya jabbed, her voice ringing with muted anger.  “You of all people should know how I feel about being misled and kept in the dark.  Did I not prove that I was worthy of your trust?  That I was trustworthy enough in keeping your secrets?  Do you think so little of me?”</p><p>“We got closer,” Hiei stated as his defense.  Kaiya looked at him like he had grown three heads in addition to those three eyes of his.  His argument didn’t make any sense to her.  “I do not want to leave you.  If it were up to me, I would bring you…but there are many in Mukuro’s stronghold that would come after you for having human blood.  Yusuke has become a political icon before you use that as a comparison, but you would be at risk.  I refuse to take you from one hell and bring you to another.”</p><p>“What does that have to do with you not telling me?” Kaiya sneered.  “It’s just an excuse.”</p><p>“It’s not just an excuse!” Hiei responded with anger as he stood up.  “You have no idea, Kaiya!  No damn clue, do you?”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Kaiya said with equal force, standing to meet his eye.</p><p>“I don’t want to leave you with Jiro,” Hiei stated again.  “I don’t want to fight in the damn tournament because that means having to leave you.  I don’t know how long it will be until I come back.  We got closer, and I did not want to say anything to interfere with that.  If I had told you, me leaving would be real, to both me and you.”</p><p>Kaiya still didn’t understand, but she let Hiei’s words sink in, finally, and then understanding washed over her with the sounds of the ocean waves.  “You don’t know if you’re coming back,” Kaiya whispered.</p><p>Vegeta, still listening in, narrowed his eyes at the couple.  Hiei hadn’t mentioned that part to him earlier.</p><p>“Yes and no,” Hiei answered, confusing both the Saiyan prince and princess.</p><p>“Hiei,” Kaiya huffed in frustration, “I don’t understand.  Will you please just be direct for once?  I can’t take being talked in circles.”</p><p>“There was a policy last time,” Hiei began, “where the losers of the tournament had to act as border patrol agents and deal with the humans who stumbled into Demon World.  I worked that post for a long time, and returned briefly when you and the girls came to Genkai’s.  It was the reason I disappeared so much.  When you returned from your break, and I came back before Mayonaka showed up, the reason I acted how I did was because I was freed from my post.  Free to be with you.”  Kaiya tilted her head in confusion before Hiei took her hand.  “I am not going to win, Kaiya, because there are still strides we need to make in our training before we can beat the current ruler.  Most likely he will win again and everything will be fine.  The only reason I am even going to this is because Mukuro would have my head if I didn’t show up, again for political measures, and because Koenma has ordered it.”</p><p>“Wait, Koenma…he ordered you guys to fight?” Kaiya asked.  “I thought he wanted to keep us from fighting in these types of things because of the past.”</p><p>“Koenma didn’t want me to fight,” Hiei admitted, “because unlike you and the others, he still sees me as a thief and criminal who wants to wreak havoc on the human realm.”</p><p>“Oh?” Kaiya replied shyly.  “Why?  And if he didn’t want you to fight, then why are you being forced to go?”</p><p>“I had to convince him to keep someone else from fighting a bunch of demons, who would rip her apart for being part human, and now for being of another planet,” he finally told her.</p><p>Kaiya didn’t know what to say.  Hiei was not one to be forced into something he didn’t want to do.  The Dark Tournament had been an exception, but everything else he did in his own time table.  He hadn’t wanted to tell her for many reasons, including the fact that he desperately didn’t want to go.  It made sense to her now.  If he left her unprotected and abandoned her when she needed him, just as they were getting closer, it would hurt her.  If he hadn’t taken her place, she would have gotten hurt.  Either way, it was a lose-lose for both of them, and Hiei did not want her to know the kind of position they were both in.</p><p>“Can I talk to Koenma?” she asked Hiei.</p><p>“For what?” Hiei questioned.</p><p>“Well, first, I want to tell him I’m unhappy that he tried to control me, putting you in this position,” she started.  “And then I want to punch him in the face for separating us for who knows how long.  Then I’m going to politely ask him to make it up to me.”</p><p>“Make it up to you how?” Hiei asked, suspicious of his girlfriend’s change in demeanor.</p><p>“Well,” she breathed out, “I don’t think it’s fair that he can mess with our lives and put us in the position to kill to protect the Human World, but he doesn’t allow us to protect ourselves from humans without punishment.”  Hiei and Vegeta were both watching her, though they had no idea that Vegeta was listening in.  “I’m going to ask, no <em>demand</em>, that none of us, demon, human, or Saiyan, will be punished for anything that happens to Jiro.  He has no right to put us in danger and then leave any of us unprotected from him.  I’m done with this.”</p><p>Hiei smirked at Kaiya, chuckling at her attitude.  It had been a long time since he had seen her this fiery.  The girl killed by Jiro was gone, and Kaiya somehow managed to get herself back, or at least he hoped so.  Hiei didn’t know how long it would last, but the fact that she was starting to fight back made him feel a little better about leaving her.  “Good to have you back, onna.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled at Hiei before motioning to their sleeping bags, and as she moved, Hiei grabbed her wrist stopping her.  “Still,” he said, “it doesn’t explain the immediate change in attitude in regards to killing Jiro.  Are you sure you’re all right?”</p><p>Kaiya placed her hand on top of his and looked at him seriously.  “It was never about what you think,” Kaiya muttered.  “I wasn’t trying to protect him.  After I found out about Vegeta and the whole blood experiment thing, Koenma wanted to speak to me.”</p><p>“Why?” Hiei growled before Kaiya’s serious expression told him all he needed to know.  “The idiot told him, didn’t he?”</p><p>“In Kuwabara’s defense,” Kaiya said with raised hands, “Koenma would have found out about all of this eventually.”</p><p>“Not likely,” Hiei grumbled.  “So, what did the brat want?”</p><p>Kaiya frowned and looked away.  “Um, don’t tell Vegeta this,” she whispered causing Vegeta to crouch closer.  What didn’t his sister want him to know?  “Koenma wanted to see me to remind me of the rules.  Just because I come from a warrior race doesn’t mean that I can kill a human, even in self-defense.  Then he proceeded to tell me that he’d feel better if he held any existing Saiyans to the same standards.  In so many words, he pretty much said if you, me, any demons we know, or any Saiyans meaning Vegeta, and even Kakarot, were to kill Jiro to defend me, they’d be placed in Spirit World jail for an extended period of time, and I’m sorry, but I’m NOT losing any of you because of him.”</p><p>Vegeta clenched his fists and shook with anger at the thought of his sister being given an ultimatum like that by some…whatever…and that this person thought he could hold power over him, the Prince of Saiyans.  It was not only insulting, but misguided.  It was obvious to Vegeta that this “boss” of the spirit detective team didn’t seem to care about the wellbeing of his team.  “Hiei?” Kaiya’s voice rang, piercing through his thoughts.  “Say something.”</p><p>“I have always hated Spirit World,” Hiei stated calmly, “and the only reason I assisted on cases with Yusuke was because that was my punishment for crimes against them.  I no longer work for Spirit World, but since we are still a team, that idiot thinks that Kurama and I are still his to command.  Truth is we’ve only put up with it to get inside information and continue to protect the balance between the three worlds.  He now has crossed a line that I cannot accept.  If he does not accept your terms, then deity or not he will meet my blade in the most unpleasant fashion.”</p><p>“Tell me how you really feel,” Kaiya joked cautiously.  “Anyways, I’m sure he’ll listen to me.  He’s already put us in difficult positions, and now it’s interfering with both of our security.  Hopefully by the time you get back, I can deliver good news that you guys can take Jiro out.”  Kaiya lied down after releasing herself from Hiei’s grip.  Still, the fire demon did not take his eyes off of her.  “What?” she asked awkwardly, feeling strange being under his forceful stare.</p><p>“I thought it would hurt you if I killed him again,” he admitted.</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  “Hiei, it was never about that,” she explained again.  “I didn’t want anyone getting in trouble because I can’t defend myself.  I can’t bring myself to fight him, but I want to.  I can’t stand the thought of him hurting someone else, you know?”  Hiei gave a stiff nod in response.  “I wanted to avoid having to fight him as much as I could, but it’s getting worse.  I mean, he attacked a <em>child</em>…a kid that has nothing to do with his animosity towards me.  I found out that he helped a guy who endangered planets and people for a living…not to mention <em>suggested </em>the destruction of Planet Vegeta.  And now my visions are telling me he wants to go after Vegeta.  He…he can’t get away with this.”</p><p>Hiei said nothing after she whispered her last statement.  Instead, he pulled her closer to him in their sleeping bags so that he was hugging her from behind.  “Get some rest, Kaiya,” he ordered.  “Enjoy our trip and then, when we get back, we’ll train.  We’ll work on everything up to and including the animosity you feel when fighting family.  We can get through this together.  You don’t have to take this on alone, no matter what Koenma says, and especially not what Jiro says.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded from his spot before making his presence known to the two fire wielders.  Kaiya paled, but Hiei didn’t seem to mind Vegeta overhearing.  “V-V-Vegeta,” Kaiya stuttered nervously.  “What are you-?”</p><p>“Don’t worry about this fool’s orders,” Vegeta growled.  “He holds no power over us.  We are Saiyan royalty after all.  Make sure he understands that.”</p><p>Kaiya gave an affirmative shake of her head as she grinned up at him.  “I will, Geta.  No one else is going to mess with our lives.”</p><p>Vegeta smirked at his younger sister, happy with her change in attitude.  He had been slightly concerned by her lack of Saiyan fighting spirit, but it seemed to him now that she just needed a push in the right direction.  This also made him accept Hiei a bit more seeing as he was the one who incited this change in Kaiya’s demeanor.  Now that she was ready for a fight, maybe training her would be easier as well.</p><hr/><p>Bulma was at home reading a science magazine in attempts to find new ideas to improve her inventions.  While reading she came across a picture of Dr. Gero and rolled her eyes.  The man didn’t look all that tough, but then she remembered that he was going to be the one to create the androids that would be going after her friends.  She closed the magazine and threw it across the lawn just as Kaiya’s SUV pulled up.  She had almost forgotten that it was already the end of the weekend.</p><p>Kaiya got out and picked up the magazine.  “Bulma, whatever is in this magazine that upset you is no reason to litter,” she said kindly.  “It would be bad in the wind blew it away and it got into the ocean.”</p><p>“Sorry, kid,” Bulma teased, not yet knowing Kaiya hated being called a kid.  Vegeta was surprised that Kaiya didn’t get as angry with Bulma as she did with him when he called her that.  “So how was camping?”</p><p>Kaiya frowned for a second before she uttered, “Interesting,” as Hiei said, “Stupid,” and Vegeta said, “Boring.”  Bulma chuckled, not noticing the tension among them before getting up from her chair and stretching.</p><p>“That’s nice,” she replied jokingly.  “Now, what are you guys in the mood for tonight?  My parents are out so we have the whole place to ourselves.”</p><p>“What about the idiot?” Hiei asked bitterly.</p><p>“Oh,” Bulma muttered, looking away from the group, although Vegeta thought he caught the hint of a frown.  “Yamcha moved out yesterday.  No big deal.”</p><p>Kaiya could hear the sadness in her tone and ignored her boyfriend’s, “Good riddance.”</p><p>“Are you okay, Bulma?” she asked quietly.  “Did something happen?”</p><p>“It’s not important, Kaiya,” Bulma lied.  “Just let me know what you guys want me to order, okay?”</p><p>Bulma went inside to go through take out menus when Kaiya sighed and went to the car with Hiei to unload.  “What’s the matter?” Hiei asked her.</p><p>“I think something happened that made Bulma upset, but she probably doesn’t want to talk about it,” Kaiya told him.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Hiei muttered.  “You have your own problems to worry about.  They must just be having another one of their fights.”</p><p>“I guess you’re right,” Kaiya replied before smiling.  “Now come on.  I want to get the car unpacked quickly.  I’m getting hungry.”</p><p>Vegeta had gone into the compound and found Bulma in the kitchen.  She heard his footsteps, but didn’t know who it was.  “So what did you guys decide on?” she asked.  When she got no reply, she turned around to see Vegeta standing right in front of her.  She nearly fell backwards, letting out a small yelp as she managed to grasp onto the table.  “Vegeta, don’t do that!” she scolded.  “What do you want?”</p><p>Vegeta smirked at her before saying, “My hope was to torment the poor fool who resides here, but you will do just fine.”</p><p>“Vegeta, I’m not in the mood for this,” Bulma grumbled before he took the menus away from her.  “Hey!  Give those back or you don’t get food!”</p><p>Vegeta chuckled, knowing that the woman wouldn’t keep food away from them, especially his sister.  “Did he get bored with you already?” Vegeta asked.  “About time.  If I had to see his face around here anymore, I would have rearranged it.”</p><p>“Vegeta, shut up,” Bulma muttered before crossing her arms and turning away from him.  She was not one to cry, but even she felt bad about why Yamcha left and how they got into yet another fight.</p><p>Vegeta frowned and glared at the woman in front of him.  She was not fighting back like she usually did when he mercilessly teased her, and that irritated him more than hearing her shrill voice.  “What’s wrong with you?” he asked her angrily.</p><p>“What’s wrong with me?” Bulma nearly screamed.  “What’s wrong with you, oh mighty Prince of Saiyans?  I just want to eat and get through this night.  I don’t want to talk, and I don’t want to deal with your attitude, so tell me simply what you want to eat and then leave me alone!”</p><p>Vegeta was taken aback by Bulma’s attitude.  He had never once seen her acting like this since he moved into the compound.  He heard the laughs of his sister as she and Hiei were coming in with a bunch of their stuff before he said, “Pizza.  Kaiya likes it.”</p><p>“Fine,” Bulma retorted before picking up the phone to dial.  As she leaned against the counter, she glared at Vegeta once more before waving him off.  Vegeta scoffed, not liking being ordered around by a weak female.  Instead, he decided to lean against the doorway with his arms crossed, glaring back at her with equal, if not more force.</p><p>“Yes, I’d like to order about two dozen pizzas and ten orders of garlic bread,” Bulma said into the phone as she stuck her tongue out at Vegeta.</p><p>Vegeta rolled his eyes before flashing Bulma the finger.  “Yeah, just charge it,” Bulma said with a sarcastic tone as she returned Vegeta’s gesture.  That caused Vegeta to smirk victoriously as he finally brought out the woman’s fight.  He started walking over to her as Bulma hung up the phone.  “I loathe you,” she said half-heartedly.</p><p>“The feeling is mutual, wench,” Vegeta teased before disappearing in a flash.</p><p>“Jerk,” Bulma muttered, still not feeling any better about her current situation.</p><hr/><p>It was tense that night as the four of them ate, but even more tense in the morning when Kaiya had to say goodbye to Hiei.  He was going to train with the others for the tournament and, later, Botan was going to get her to bring her to Spirit World.  She was going to deal with Koenma today whether he wanted to see her or not.</p><p>Vegeta woke up late, having been up the majority of the night after having a nightmare.  He wasn’t sure why he had had such a bizarre dream regarding Frieza, him, and his sister.  The evidence that it had been a bad dream littered the room since the majority of his borrowed furniture was fried by ki blasts.  He leaned back and recounted bits and pieces from the dream.</p><p>Their ages were their current ages, and Frieza, who was now officially dead, had Kaiya in his clutches with one hand choking her and the other aimed at her heart, much like it had been when he had killed Vegeta.  Frieza was taunting him with the fact that he held his sister’s life in his hands.  Obviously there was nothing Frieza could do to her now that he was nothing but nutrients for dirt, but still the dream left Vegeta feeling wary.  It made him worried about Kaiya being alone on her own.  Until she was properly trained, he would have to keep tabs on her.</p><p>Speaking of which, she was outside and alone now.  This made Vegeta blast out of bed and into the yard, searching for her position.  Her energy felt slightly weak and wavering, but he eventually pinpointed it to the gravity room.  He grew concerned, wondering if she had known to reset the gravity level before turning the machine on and quickly raced into the GR.</p><p>He found Kaiya on her hands and knees, shaking every few seconds from the intense pull she was feeling.  Vegeta turned off the gravity levels making the girl relax and lie down on the cold metal floor.</p><p>“Thank God,” she breathed out.  She looked up to her furious brother before smiling sweetly.  “Hi Geta.  Thanks for turning that off.”</p><p>“What were you thinking?” he yelled.  “Do you not know anything about this room?  I train on a much higher gravity than you do!  You need to reset the gravity levels before you turn on this blasted machine!”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Vegeta,” Kaiya said, her face falling when Vegeta started yelling at her.</p><p>“You shouldn’t even be outside by yourself!  It’s like asking the enemy to come after you!  Don’t you know that?”</p><p>Vegeta hadn’t meant to go off on her and stopped speaking when he saw the tears forming in her eyes.  “I...I’m sorry,” she said again.  “I just wanted to do some training on my own.”</p><p>Vegeta sighed in frustration.  “Look,” he growled out, “you need to be more careful with your life for now.  You aren’t that well trained, and are certainly not ready to be training on your own.”</p><p>“Ouch,” Kaiya muttered narrowing her eyes at her brother.  “Tell me how you really feel.”</p><p>“It’s not an insult,” Vegeta told her, “just a fact.  Where you have received a fair amount of training, none of it is useful for fighting.  Simply learning to control your spirit energy or demon energy or whatever it is, as well as sparring does not constitute training.  You need to learn your strengths and weaknesses with your own body as well as each and every move you know.  The only way to train in the beginning is to have someone who can pick out such weaknesses.”</p><p>“Fine,” Kaiya muttered.  “That what do you suggest?”</p><p>Vegeta motioned to the door.  Kaiya looked at him strangely as she left the pod, her brother following close behind her.  “We are going to fly to a location of my choosing, and I will be going at top speed so you better keep up.”</p><p>Kaiya knew this would be a test for her.  She was faster than him on the ground, but having only learned to fly only a month before left her confidence a little shaky in that department.  Still, she nodded at him and followed him up into the sky as he led them to their new training field.</p><hr/><p>“So, did you get the information?” Jiro asked one of his loyal followers.</p><p>“Yes sir,” the one who wished him back replied while handing him over a file.  “That’s all the information regarding the last tournament in Demon World, the participants, and the dropped barrier.  I’m sure with your wisdom, you will be able to find the entrance.”</p><p>“Kiss ass,” the girl beside him muttered.  “With all due respect, sir.  Why would you even want to go to Demon World?”</p><p>“What is your name, girl?” Jiro asked.</p><p>“Mizuki,” she replied.  “Again I ask, why-“</p><p>Out of nowhere, the teenaged girl received a mild electric shock, knocking the wind from her.  After taking several gasps of air, she looked up to a smirking Jiro.  “Don’t ask foolish questions, Mizuki,” he chided.  “It doesn’t suit you.  As for you,” he directed to his male servant, “you have done well for me, Jake.  You will be rewarded when the time comes.  Until then, I want you two to gather as many demon hunter psychics we have on file.  We’re about to make our comeback, and we’re going to start with the ones closest to the fighters in the tournament, especially those friends of my treacherous daughter.”</p><p>Mizuki glared up at the man, but kept her opinion on what he was doing to herself.  She didn’t want to receive the same treatment he awarded his daughter right after feeling only a mildest hit from his abilities.  No, she would obey him until she could break away.  This wasn’t what she signed up for when she offered up her ability to protect her young spiritually aware siblings.  Unlike many in the organization, she knew that not all demons were like the ones who took their parents away from them.  She only hoped that she would not be ordered to harm anyone innocent anytime soon.</p><hr/><p>Hiei was in the middle of sparring with Yusuke as Kurama and Kuronue tended to the garden.  They ignored their friends’ battle cries and the attacks that subtly missed the garden.  Yukina and Kuwabara were watching from the porch as the ice maiden poured some lemonade into two glasses.</p><p>“Why are they fighting so hard?” Yukina asked concerned.</p><p>“They’re just training, Yukina,” Kuwabara stated sincerely.  “Seems the shrimp has learned so really good stuff training with that Vegeta guy.  His stamina is excellent.  He even used the Dragon of Darkness Flame earlier and is still keeping up with Urameshi.  Whatever training they’re doing, it’s given him an unexpected edge that no one is going to expect after last year’s tournament.”</p><p>“And that’s a good thing?” Yukina questioned.  All she could think of was her brother getting harmed by this so called training.  She knew that the tournament was important as it would determine the fate of all three worlds, but she did not want her brother getting hurt in preparation for it.</p><p>“It is,” Kuwabara told her.  “It means your brother is going to be one of the favorites to win like last time, and this time, he’ll be more prepared for the fights.”</p><p>Yukina nodded, but still didn’t like the idea of the tournament.  She was all for Yusuke suggesting it.  That was the only way that Spirit World would bring down the barrier.  She knew from Kurama that the majority of the demons expected to win would keep the peace between the three worlds.  Now that the peace was there, no one wanted to destroy it.  Demons were no longer considered threats by Spirit World, and likewise, they were free to reside in whichever world they wanted provided they not kill humans.  Thanks to human food, demons learned they could eat other things and new demon trade routes were formed to transport food and goods.</p><p>Yet there were still those who wanted to sully this unity.  They were the ones Yukina worried about.  Not only that, but with Kaiya’s father back in the picture, the demon hunters would surely come after them once again.  She didn’t want Hiei to know that she feared for him, as he would probably think her silly for worrying, but Yukina was starting to stress out more and more as of late.  There was something she really needed to tell her brother, or at least remind him of something regarding their race.  She didn’t know how well he was going to take it.</p><p>“Hello, Yukina!” Botan greeted cheerily from the roof of Genkai’s compound.  “AH!” she screamed as she felt off in attempts to dodge Yusuke’s Spirit Gun.  “Yusuke, you jerk!” she exclaimed.</p><p>“Sorry, Botan,” he waved quickly, before dodging Hiei’s flaming fist.  He punched back hitting Hiei, but Hiei moved his head with the fist and ended up behind Yusuke hitting him with a flaming kick to the back.  “Damn it, Hiei!” he shouted as he tried to stand up, but Hiei smirked and continued his onslaught.  This was the first time he was going to beat Yusuke in a fight, and he wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity.</p><p>“Hi, Botan,” Yukina finally greeted back.  “Would you like some lemonade?  I can get another glass.”</p><p>“Oh, thank you, dear, but no,” Botan declined.  “I just decided to stop by before finding Kaiya.  She wanted to go speak with Koenma today.”  The ferry girl didn’t notice the fight behind her pause.  “I have no idea what she needs to discuss with him, but she didn’t sound happy about it.  I hope she’s all right.”</p><p>Botan froze before turning behind her and saw Hiei glaring up at her.  “Listen to their conversation when you take her and then you tell me if you think she’s all right.”  Hiei flash-stepped back into the yard, in another, more offensive stance than he was in previously.</p><p>“Thanks a lot for reminding him, Botan,” Yusuke muttered.  “I’m the one who has to deal with cranky pants over here.”</p><p>“Shut up and fight, detective!” Hiei growled out before charging at his teammate.</p><p>Yusuke sighed before calling out as usual, “Tell Keiko I love her!”</p><p>“Tell her yourself,” replies came from Kuwabara, Kurama, and Kuronue.</p><p>“Again, you guys suck!” Yusuke shouted as his and Hiei’s energies collided as the moved to punch one another.</p><p>Yukina shook her head, wondering why Hiei was so upset.  Then she thought about Kaiya for a minute.  She had become very friendly with the girl, and thought maybe she should talk to her regarding her problem.  At least Kaiya would have insight on how to bring up such a delicate subject with her brother.  She really had nothing to lose if she did confide in the younger girl who acted like her protective older sister.  If anything, maybe she would be able to help her tell Hiei so she wouldn’t have to do it alone.</p><p>“Botan, can you take me with you?” Yukina asked her.  “I’d like to speak with Kaiya.”</p><p>“Sure, Yukina,” Botan chimed. “I hope you don’t mind flying.  We’ll get there faster on my oar, okay?”</p><p>Yukina smiled and nodded before kissing Kuwabara’s cheek.  “I’ll see you later, Kazuma,” she whispered.</p><p>“I’ll be counting the minutes, my sweet,” he returned before giving her a tight squeeze.  “Have fun with the girls, okay?”</p><p>Yukina nodded before Botan helped her onto the oar.  She looked over to Hiei and waved, but he was too caught up in his “friendly spar” to see.  She chuckled slightly and shook her head.  There were some things about her twin that she’d never understand.  Still, she loved him dearly and didn’t want to do or say anything to upset him.  Hopefully Kaiya would give her good advice.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya looked around this new training ground of theirs.  It was very mountainous and cold as the winds wisped by each second.  It was a perfect place to learn survival as there was barely anything there except animals that were keeping away from the Saiyan siblings.  When Vegeta paused in his strides, Kaiya also stopped.  “We’re here,” he stated monotonously.</p><p>“Where is here?” Kaiya questioned.  She had never seen such a lifeless place before.</p><p>Vegeta just shrugged.  “I found this place before I found out about you,” he admitted.  “It’s the perfect place to train without interruptions.  Now,” he said as he faced her, “I want you to come at me with everything you have.  Use no ki, but use whatever attacks you’ve learned thus far in your training.”</p><p>“But…but what if I hurt you?” Kaiya asked.  “Demon energy and spirit energy are different than ki energy.”</p><p>Vegeta rolled his eyes and huffed.  “No offense to you, but you would not be able to hurt me even if you tried.  I’ve been through a lot worse than a simple spar with another Saiyan.  Remember that for our future battles.”</p><p>“Well, okay then,” Kaiya said, still unsure of how much energy she wanted to release.  The hybrid took her hands and placed them out in front of her in a move that somewhat resembled Kakarot’s Kamehameha attack.  “Swirling Fire Storm!” she cried out as small to medium-sized flames shot out and rotated in circles as more flames were added to the swirl.</p><p>Vegeta crossed his arms and let the attack hit in attempts to show Kaiya the flaw in her attack.  Smoke covered him from her view, and Kaiya worried that he attack had done damage.  They were flames after all.  They would burn anyone to a crisp if they hit dead on.</p><p>“I seriously hope that was not you best move,” Vegeta said as he appeared yet again, the smoke disappearing from his body but residing around him.  The smoke created a haze that left the battle ground dark.  “If it was, you will have to learn new ones.  That attack was the worst one you could ever use.”</p><p>“W-Why?” Kaiya asked, becoming a little insulted.  The Swirling Fire Storm technique was the first move she had ever come up with on her own.</p><p>“In a fight with multiple opponents, it is fine,” he explained, “but in a fight with a single opponent, all they would have to do is move to the center of the storm and they could avoid every hit and then hit you with an attack while you have no ability to defend yourself.  You leave yourself wide open for a direct attack.”</p><p>Kaiya had never thought of it that way.  She always assumed that the attacks that used up energy were the best ones to use in a fight, but this weakness seemed kind of obvious.  She couldn’t believe that she didn’t see it, but then again, she had developed that attack when fighting Hiei, and he would never have taken advantage of that weakness, although he had done exactly what Vegeta had said could happen during her graduation match.  She had used a different move afterwards to counter.  “Alright, then I’ll try something different,” she stated.</p><p>She got into a different stance that reminded Vegeta of Kakarot’s Spirit Bomb attack.  He started to wonder if all Earthlings had a similar fighting style.  These moves they used either left them open for attack or took time to power.  Either way, whatever move she used next…he doubted it would be useful to her in a fight against Jiro.</p><p>“Wave of Fire!” she shouted as a large wall of flames shot out of her and merged into a wave.  The flames moved towards Vegeta, but he was not fazed.  Instead, he used a single ki blast, aiming at the middle, to break the wave in half and extinguish it.  Kaiya just stared blankly at the open space in front of them, blinking in shock.  She had never seen her flames diminished so easily before.</p><p>“Please tell me you’ve acquired a decent move after training for years,” Vegeta shouted over to her.</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  “Not really,” she said shamefully.  “I can use my flames in hand to hand combat, and Hiei worked with me on using the katana before we nearly got ourselves thrown out of a hotel.  I’m good with strategy and apparently breaking and entering, but that’s it.  Those two moves are it.  I do have the ability to create a shield though.”</p><p>Vegeta was angry, not so much at her nor Genkai since she had explained her purpose in training.  He knew Hiei could not be faulted either as he taught his sister all of the useful techniques she had.  He was angry and both Jiro and Frieza.  Whatever training facilities Frieza had had on the planet failed in preparing Kaiya for a real fight.  Jiro, likewise, never taught her anything, and the Saiyan prince could see why he failed in his promise to Frieza.  Kaiya could not fight a powerful enemy, not alone as he had observed before.  But there would be times where she was alone, and Vegeta needed to make sure she was prepared.</p><p>“Everything you have learned up to this point,” he spoke slowly, “forget it.  This is a clean slate for the both of us.  I don’t care how uncomfortable you are with these new techniques, but you need to be able to battle, not just spar like you are used to.  Do you understand me, Kaiya?”</p><p>Kaiya simply nodded, but was a little fearful of her brother’s new attitude towards her fighting style.  Sure, it wasn’t the most polished style and she knew he hated that she fought more defensively than offensively, but part of her believed he was slowly accepting what she was taught.  Now she was a little more hesitant to train with him.</p><p>“First thing’s first,” he said darkly, “we’re not leaving this spot until you come up with a move that can hit me.”  This was going to be a long day.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya and Vegeta returned to the compound a few hours later after she had finally thought enough ahead to create a move that Vegeta wouldn’t be able to dodge so easily.  She couldn’t wait to try it on Hiei, but right now, she was just too exhausted.  A knock on her window reminded her that she had something to do that day.</p><p>“Hey, Botan,” Kaiya greeted before she noticed Yukina.  “Oh, and hey, Yukina.  What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I need to talk to you later,” Yukina whispered.  “Is that okay?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure, but I have to take care of something in Spirit World first.  You can wait here if you want.  Hiei should be home shortly.”</p><p>“No!” Yukina exclaimed.  “I mean, it’s really important that I talk to you first.”</p><p>“O…kay,” Kaiya replied.  “So Botan, did you actually keep quiet like I asked?”</p><p>“Yes,” the ferry girl replied happily, “although I have no idea why you wanted to keep your arrival a secret from Koenma.  It seems a bit silly and counterproductive if you ask me.”</p><p>“Trust me,” Kaiya said bitterly, “he will be able to see me.”</p><hr/><p>Koenma had been alerted to Kaiya’s arrival and knew what it meant.  He had not expected to have any other interaction with the girl unless he were to give her a mission, which was unlikely considering she now had demon blood coursing through her veins.  Well, at least he had a deal for her that would benefit him greatly if she accepted, which he assumed she would.</p><p>Kaiya entered his office, ignoring the ogres following her around.  Yukina and Botan were waiting outside the room while listening in on the girl’s conversation with the Reikai ruler.</p><p>“You know why I’m here,” Kaiya stated as fact.</p><p>Koenma sighed before nodding.  “I take it Hiei told you.  I was banking on the fact that he didn’t want you to know.”</p><p>“You were almost successful in your gamble,” Kaiya admitted, “but enough is enough.”</p><p>“Gamble?” Botan asked.  “What is that girl talking about?”</p><p>“I have no idea,” Yukina said in shock.  She had never heard Kaiya so angry before.</p><p>“Kaiya…” Koenma tried, but the Saiyan princess would not have it.</p><p>“No, Koenma,” she growled.  “You will listen to me first.  I have tolerated a lot of crap from Spirit World in these last few years.  First, you send us on a mission where I have to fight my twin sister and some mental, sadistic nutcase that wanted to kill me.  Then, we have to deal with demon hunters we know nothing about, led by my father, a conspirator WITH the mental, sadistic nutcase who you let escape from prison, without any warning that my father had any connection with that.  Then he kills me and you explain why I’m able to come back and allow us to kill my father to prevent him from causing any other damage.  Then we meet his apprentice, who was dating my cousin and tortured us, not allowed to kill him.  You assure us that he won’t be a threat, and then he escapes, which only leads me to believe he was the one who wished my father back right?”</p><p>Koenma gave no answer and stayed silent as he sensed there was more.  “And then because you find out Jiro is back and I have alien blood in me as well as the ‘<em>accursed’</em> demon blood you’re so damn worried about, you bring me in to tell me I’m not allowed to kill Jiro in self-defense.  Hiei and the others can’t kill him to defend me or our family members.  You dictated that you’d put my brother and his rival behind Spirit World prison bars for eternity if they so much as break a damn bone in that bastard’s body.  And yet you have the audacity to try to force me into a tournament where demons would eat me alive for being part human, and then pretty much blackmail Hiei into taking my place?  This isn’t going to work with me, especially when you can’t even ensure our protection.”</p><p>Botan gasped in shock, but Yukina just froze, feeling numb at the fact that her brother was being forced to fight to protect Kaiya.  Koenma really had crossed a line this time, and the girls knew it.</p><p>“Kaiya, what would you have me do?” Koenma asked.  “It’s my father’s law that any demon that kills a human be severely punished.  At least I’ve been able to cut back on the punishment types.  Jail time is much tamer than his law.”</p><p>“If you can change that,” Kaiya said angrily, “then you can change everything else.”  Koenma just blinked at the girl before she raged again.  “Come on, oh mighty ruler of Spirit World.  You can’t even keep the real threats locked up in this place.  You mandated that two Saiyans who have nothing to do with this multiverse can be imprisoned for helping me.</p><p>“Multiverse?” Koenma interjected, not really understanding the slang, human term.</p><p>“Jiro is evil, and a bigger threat than we are,” Kaiya continued without even registering Koenma’s confusion.  “He’s already gone after a child, who is half human by the way, by attacking me.  Had I been hit, I’d be dead again, and you know Hiei would level this place if that happened, forget throwing him in a prison for killing Jiro.  You cannot dictate our lives and then forbid us from protecting ourselves.  It’s like you want us to die.  At least add a loophole for self-defense for demons.  Demons have become much more tolerant of humans than humans have become of demons.  Hell, most people don’t know they exist!  And why is that?  Because your team has done their best to protect this skewed balance you wanted for the three worlds!”</p><p>“You make a good point, Kaiya,” Koenma admitted.  “But I still can’t make this deal, unless you are willing to do something for me.”</p><p>“What?” Kaiya growled.  “And if I don’t like the answer, I will let my inner Saiyan take over and show you what the Princess of Saiyans can really do.”</p><p>“No need for that,” Koenma told her calmly.  “I believe my way will benefit us both greatly.”  He took out a new file in a red folder and said, “I have a case for you to take while the boys are training for the Demon World Tournament.  In this file I have enclosed a description, location, target, and mission goal.  I will not tell you what this case is or what type of opponent you will be facing before you agree, a blind mission if you will.  No one is better suited than you.  I will allow you to make up your own team and give you an allowance for such a mission.  If you accept, I will rewrite the law with as many loopholes and changes as you want, and will even have Kurama look it over.  When you are done with the mission, I will implement the change and whatever happens to Jiro happens.  Agreed?”</p><p>“What the hell?” Kaiya said with a shrug.  She held out her hand for the file.  “Agreed.”</p><hr/><p>Botan brought Kaiya and Yukina back to the compound before muttering and apology and leaving.  Kaiya wasn’t mad at the ferry girl as she had no idea what Koenma had put them through.  She felt worse about having Yukina witness the whole discussion.  The girl was clearly distressed about something else and learning all about the corrupt and unorganized nature of Spirit World would not help things.</p><p>“Yukina, are you okay?” she asked cautiously.  “I didn’t mean for you to have to bear this burden.”</p><p>“I’m not upset about that,” Yukina told her.  “Well, maybe about the part that Koenma wanted to force you to fight and then blackmailed Hiei.  Now you’re going on a mission you don’t even know the details to.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya muttered.  She knew Hiei was not going to be happy about this.  Hell, Vegeta would probably find a way into Spirit World himself to eliminate Koenma himself.  Still, she took the mission (or was forced to take it), so she would complete it regardless of her boyfriend’s or brother’s opinions.  “So what did you want to talk about?”</p><p>Yukina sat down on the side of her bed and looked to the floor.  “I have to tell Hiei something,” she told her.  “It’s something he won’t take well, and I need advice on what to say.  You know him better than I ever could.”</p><p>Kaiya could detect the girl’s sadness and sat down next to her.  She pulled the ice maiden into a hug and patted her back.  “Nothing you can say will ever make Hiei mad at you,” she cooed in comfort.</p><p>“I know that,” Yukina continued.  “It’s not me he would be angry with.  It’s Kazuma.”</p><p>“What did Kuwabara do?” Kaiya asked fearfully.  If the human psychic had done anything to hurt Hiei’s little sister, there would be nowhere he could hide that Hiei, even without the Jagan, could find him.</p><p>“Nothing bad,” Yukina assured her.  “It’s just…well…”  Yukina paused to collect her thoughts before giving Kaiya an ice maiden biology lesson.  “When an ice maiden turns one hundred, she becomes pregnant with a baby girl.  In our mother’s case, she had relations with a man and then became pregnant with twins, me and Hiei.  In our culture, those types of relationships are forbidden…like, if you were an ice maiden and were dating Hiei, you would be in a lot of trouble.  My relationship with Kazuma is forbidden, just like my mother’s was.”</p><p>“Forbidden,” Kaiya said scoffing at the word.  “If I ever hear anyone call Hiei a ‘forbidden child’ or ‘imiko’ or whatever the heck they termed him-“</p><p>“Kaiya, I’m pregnant,” Yukina told her.  “Mine and Hiei’s birthday passed a few weeks ago.  I’m having a girl, obviously…but I’m also having a boy.”</p><p>Kaiya’s mouth dropped open when Yukina made her confession.  First, because she Yukina pretty much just admitted that she had sex with someone Hiei couldn’t stand and reluctantly gave his approval to, and second, that Hiei and Yukina were both more than seventy, almost eighty, years older than her.  “Wow…” Kaiya said in a daze.  “That’s a lot to take in.  I never knew that about ice maidens.  Hell, I don’t even know when yours or Hiei’s birthday is.  He refuses to tell me.”</p><p>“How am I going to tell him?” Yukina asked.</p><p>Kaiya’s phone rang, interrupting the conversation.  “Hello?” Kaiya asked answering the call.  Her throat was so dry, she was surprised she was even talking.  “Hiei!” she exclaimed in shock.  Yukina’s eyes widened in a mix of fear and shock, before Kaiya let out a breath of relief.  “No, I don’t mind if you stay with the guys tonight.  Training is the most important thing right now.”  After a moment of silence, she added.  “Yeah, I’ll tell you how everything went tomorrow.”  She looked over to Yukina and nodded.  “There’s a lot we have to discuss…Okay, see you then.”</p><p>Kaiya hung up the phone and then looked over to Yukina.  “Two things,” she said to the ice maiden.  “One, are you and Kuwabara mated, and two, does he know?”</p><p>“Yes to the first and no to the second,” Yukina admitted.  “I don’t know how to tell either of them.”</p><p>“The only thing that will save Kuwabara is that the two of you are mated, and that Kuwabara isn’t going to chicken out and bail on you and the babies.”</p><p>“He would never do that,” Yukina assured her.  “We mated on demon terms, and he wants to marry me in human culture as well.  We’ve already been talking about kids, especially since he knew one way or another I’d be having at least one because of my race.  He just didn’t know about my birthday either, and I was afraid to tell him.  Like you said, it’s a lot to take in, especially since Hiei and I are so much older than you two.”</p><p>“That’s fine,” Kaiya said soothingly.  “You should tell Kuwabara tomorrow.  I’ll drive you back to Genkai’s.  Then I will deal with Hiei.  I’ll make sure he knows the situation and I won’t let him leave here until he processes everything.  No sense in him running off in a psychotic rage, right?”</p><p>Yukina merely nodded before Kaiya placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder.  “It’ll be okay, Yukina,” Kaiya told her.  “Besides, it might be nice for him to have a little niece and nephew to look after.”</p><p>“Thank you, Kaiya,” Yukina said, hugging the girl.  “I knew you would help me and understand.”</p><p>“I know, Yukina,” she said softly in reply.  Patting the ice maiden’s back softly, she repeated herself.  “I know.”</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was feeling that feeling again, that dread.  He and Kaiya had trained, and where he felt confidence in her ability to improve and think, he still had little confidence in her ability to defend herself and fight a real enemy.  His random nightmares were doing little to ease the feeling as well.  Multiple dreams of Kaiya being attacked and dying…he could even imagine how Hiei felt having witnessed it.  It was becoming too much for Vegeta to stomach when he woke up after another vision of some caped crusader strangling his sister and cutting into her with a knife.  Something was wrong, and nothing was making sense anymore.</p><p>To ease his mind from all those dreams, he entered Kaiya’s room and found her asleep on the bed next to Hiei’s sister who was curled around her brother’s pillow.  Kaiya was snoring softly, sleeping peacefully except for a few expressions of pain.  Her breath began to pick up before she opened her eyes and saw Vegeta.  He only stared at her, not saying anything, before Kaiya smiled and waved him off like the first time he had seen her.  Something was wrong, and he knew it.  And Vegeta did not like it one bit.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 12 - Big News</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya found Vegeta sitting the kitchen the next morning while Yukina was still asleep.  He was waiting for her, and she knew why.  “Morning, brother,” she greeted casually before walking to the fridge to get something to eat.  She could practically feel his eyes on her demanding an explanation for the previous night.  Sighing, she turned to face him.  She had some explaining to do.</p><p>“What do you want to know?” she asked him.</p><p>“What is with that telepathic ability of yours?” he asked.  “And what is it doing to me?”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  Unfortunately, she didn’t have all the answers for him.  She barely knew anything about this ability other than she had it and received it from an ancestor.  “Well, I can read minds and hold conversations with others through a mental link, but it also allows me to see the future on occasion.  The only problem is that it’s hard to tell if something is a dream or a vision.  That’s really all I know.”</p><p>“Why do I keep having these nightmares?” he interrogated more forcefully.  “They don’t make sense.”</p><p>“Well…the nightmare the other night about Frieza was from my mind,” Kaiya told him.  “I can assure you, that was definitely a dream.  I had been talking to my cousin back in America and she started asking me questions about my abduction now that I remembered.  It was on my mind before I went to bed.  Sorry about that.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Vegeta grumbled making her mentally giggle.  He sounded like Hiei when he did that.  “Last night?”</p><p>That’s when Kaiya frowned.  “Last night, I didn’t have the premonition,” she told.  “Somehow you did, and my mind showed it to me after you were awake.”</p><p>Vegeta looked at her not revealing any emotion to her, but she could hear his thoughts raging with confusion and irritation.  She was really going to have to teach him about blocking out his thoughts.  He was an open book if he didn’t.  “How?” he finally asked after minutes of assumed silence.</p><p>“I don’t know.”</p><p>That was pretty much all she could say.  Her theory couldn’t be proved.  If she had to guess, she would have assumed that her mind created a link with his when their minds were being scanned.  At first it showed them each other’s memories, then it became muted and they could no longer see the memories, and now they were showing each other dreams and Vegeta was now having premonitions.  The one person she could probably ask was Hiei, but she had a different conversation to have with him that day and all of this would have to wait.</p><p>Bulma walked into the kitchen, oblivious to the anxiety between the two siblings before she grabbed and apple and put the coffee maker to use.  She went to reading the newspaper.  Then she noticed two pairs of eyes on her and looked up.  “Good morning?” she greeted questioningly.  Kaiya just nodded at her while Vegeta looked like he wanted to rip her to shreds.  “What?”</p><p>“What did your blasted machine do?” Vegeta growled.  He was completely enraged.  He had never wanted to be part of her experiment.  Yes, he was happy about finding his sister, but he had not want Ed to be  a lab rat and now there were unanticipated side effects to deal with.</p><p>Bulma rolled her eyes, not understanding what was going on.  “What do you mean, Vegeta?” she questioned, letting out an aggravated sigh when his eyes narrowed at her.</p><p>“What my brother means is,” Kaiya said a little more gently, “when we were in the mind scanners and my telepathy linked out minds…what exactly happened?  Like, what did you see?”</p><p>“Didn’t the guys tell you what happened?” she asked.</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  “No, because I had gotten my memories back and seen Vegeta’s.  I don’t know what they saw.”</p><p>Vegeta continued to bore his eyes into Bulma when she answered, “I saw your memories, Kaiya.  I heard your voice and heard what you thought of everything going on.  I could only see Vegeta, but they were not his thoughts.  My father said that your friends reported the exact same thing.  They didn’t see your memories.  They saw more about what Vegeta was dealing with than anything else.”</p><p>Kaiya looked surprised, but instead of freaking out or responding to Bulma, she turned to Vegeta.  “Vegeta, try initiating a conversation with me in our minds.”</p><p>He didn’t know if his sister was serious or losing her mind.  Starting a conversation, in their minds?  What kind of an order was that?  “Just do it,” she ordered a little more forcefully.</p><p><em>HOW? </em>Vegeta’s voice shouted in her head.  Kaiya had to cover her ears and lean against the table.</p><p>“I didn’t say ‘scream’ in my head,” she muttered, shaking off the shock from his booming voice.</p><p>Now his face displayed his perplexed attitude.  He hadn’t tried to do that.  He was more yelling at himself because he had no idea what he was doing.  “No wonder Hiei said our mental blocks were weak,” she stated.  “We’ve been connected this whole time.”</p><p>“How do we stop it?” Vegeta asked.  He didn’t need another distraction, especially one that gave him visions of the future and invaded his sister’s thoughts.</p><p>Kaiya looked over to Bulma, hoping she’d have a suggestion, but seeing as she had no information on telepathy, she shook her head.  She couldn’t help the two siblings.  The female Saiyan sighed and leaned her head on the table.  “I guess the only thing we can do is talk to Hiei and see if Genkai knows anything about it,” Kaiya mumbled into the table.  “They’re our best bet.  If not we have to go to Koenma, and he’s an idiot I don’t want to deal with, and even he might not know what to do.  Unfortunately, that means we’re more exposed than we wanted to be and at risk of sharing things we don’t want to.  Sorry about that…again.”</p><p>Vegeta just grunted a reply.  Of course he accepted her apology, but he was annoyed that things were going to be more difficult for both of them.  There were many thoughts of hers that he could not see, obviously due to her training with this type of ability.  Like she said, though, his mind was an open book to her.  It made him wonder what she would see or what she had seen.  She never really talked to him about it before, instead focusing on making new memories with her brother on Earth.  Despite being an alien with strange abilities, his sister’s abilities were confusing and strange to him, more so than what he had seen in the galaxy.</p><p>“Sorry I couldn’t offer more to help,” Bulma stated.  “But this ability of yours sounds complicated.”</p><p>“It is,” Kaiya muttered.  “It started back before Jiro showed up.  Genkai has said time and time again that sometimes our spiritual energy prepares itself for stronger enemies to come and gives us new abilities when we need them, but honestly, this ability is too much of a hassle.  What good is seeing the future if you can’t prevent the visions?”</p><p>Both Bulma and Vegeta didn’t know how to answer that.  This was new territory for both of them.  Kaiya’s irritation quickly disappeared from her face, and a smile replaced it.  “Um, sorry,” she said.  “I normally don’t vent about my abilities like that.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Bulma replied with a smile before she heard soft footsteps descending the stairs.  “Who else is here?  Hiei?”</p><p>“No,” Kaiya replied.  “He stayed over at the temple last night to train.  His sister is here, though.”</p><p>“I haven’t met her,” Bulma replied.</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya said, still smiling when Yukina entered the kitchen.  “Good morning, Yukina.”</p><p>“Good morning, Kaiya,” the ice maiden replied.  She then noticed Vegeta and Bulma in the kitchen.  “Oh, good morning to both of you as well.”  She gave a small bow to show respect and thanks for her being able to stay there.</p><p>Bulma just chuckled slightly and said, “Like I told Kaiya, no reason to be so formal.  I’m Bulma, Yukina, and it’s really nice to meet you.”</p><p>Yukina only smiled before taking a seat at the table next to Vegeta.  Kaiya said down across from her.  The two of them remained silent as Bulma programmed the cooking bots to prepare breakfast for them.  She then disappeared to her lab while the three of them sat at the table, waiting.  Vegeta hadn’t really been around Yukina that much, and all he knew of her was that Hiei cared deeply for her and that he hated women crying because the girl’s tears could crystalize and she was kidnapped because of it.</p><p>Yukina started fidgeting a bit with a fork that was on the table.  Vegeta noticed her lower arms that were normally covered by the kimono she wore and saw burn scars.  Yukina noticed him looking and quickly put her arms down, blushing slightly and looking away shamefully.</p><p>Kaiya noticed the interaction and worried about Yukina’s attitude towards anyone seeing her scars.  She had a few herself, and she knew Vegeta had plenty.  To show Yukina that scars didn’t really matter to Saiyan warriors, she herself moved her hair from her left shoulder revealing a deeper burn scar that neither the ice maiden nor her brother had seen.  Her hair or clothes usually kept it covered but in was still there.</p><p>“How did that-?” Yukina started to ask before covering her mouth.  “I’m sorry; that was rude of me.”</p><p>“Not at all, Yukina,” Kaiya assured her.  “Scars are just reminders of battle we’ve fought and challenges we’ve overcome.  I don’t really mind it.  This came from Kiense.”</p><p>“Your…sister’s boyfriend?” Yukina questioned.</p><p>“Not exactly,” Kaiya answered.</p><p>“What do you mean ‘not exactly?’” Vegeta asked bitterly.</p><p>“It wasn’t him exactly,” Kaiya explained.  Vegeta instantly remembered Hiei mentioning that when he spoke of his feelings toward Mayonaka.  “It was actually my first mission with Spirit World.  There was this demon who was trapped in Spirit World jail that they lost track of and he was trying to destroy the spirit detective team.  He had gathered a large following of human psychics to help him who assumed demons were evil and they had no idea what he was trying to do.”</p><p>“Is that the guy you were talking about yesterday with Koenma?”  Kaiya looked to Yukina and nodded.  “Didn’t you say Jiro had something to do with him?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Kaiya muttered. “Maya left a note saying that there was another psychic that worked for Kiense back in the day, but he broke away from the group.  She hadn’t met him, just heard of him.  The real Kiense was not about death and destruction at all, and obviously being a demon made him believe that not all demons were evil.  Jiro obviously did not like that ideology and formed a group of psychic demon hunters instead.”</p><p>Vegeta growled.  This whole situation was starting to irritate him.  For someone who was connected to his sister’s mind, he sure couldn’t pick out her point any quicker.  And why couldn’t he see anything from her memories about past fights she had been in with?  He knew nothing of her fight with Mayonaka, nor this Kiense demon, and certainly not when Jiro attacked her.  He only saw flashes of the battle they had with him after.  Similarly, she didn’t see all the defining moments of his fights either, like when he fought Kakarot or Frieza.  She knew of the things he did, but not much about it.  This power obviously had its limits.</p><p>“How was there this other Kiense?” Yukina asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.</p><p>“There was a teenaged girl working for him named Suze,” Kaiya explained.  “And she had an ability that allowed her to replace alternate versions of the person she used the ability on.  Kiense was very passive, but he knew he needed more aggression to go against Spirit World.  He ended up replaced with a more sinister and sadistic version of himself, and that’s why Maya was against us at first.  She was trying to protect her actual boyfriend who was trapped in another universe.  Anyway, the guy we had to deal with decided to attack me when Hiei and I found him.  Kiense is a fire demon, so there was a small rivalry going on between the three of us.  This scar if from the severe burn he left.  He seemed to know that my left hand was my dominant hand.  Hiei wasn’t happy about it.”</p><p>“I didn’t know any of that,” Yukina said sadly.  “No one tells me these things.  I’ve learned more this past day about stuff with Spirit World than the whole time I knew the guys.”</p><p>“Yukina, don’t worry,” Kaiya told her.  “Honestly, the stuff we weren’t there for, we had to blackmail the guys into telling us.  The rest we’ve experienced.  If you don’t have to experience it, we’d rather you not.  You’ve seen enough in your life.”  Kaiya gestured to Yukina’s covered arms, reminding Yukina that she had scars of her own.  Her not knowing everything going on was a way to protect her.  She already knew a lot more ever since Hiei admitted he was her brother.</p><p>“You’re right, Kaiya,” she said sweetly.  “Thank you.”</p><p>“No problem,” Kaiya told her as the bots brought food over to the table.  “Now, let’s eat.  I’m starving.”</p><p>Vegeta saw a side of Kaiya that day that he hadn’t seen before.  She lived true to her nature; she could be upset one minute and then happy the next, not letting what she was upset about affect her.  She acknowledged her past scars with pride and dignity and refused to let another be ashamed of their own.  When she smiled at him, he realized that she was taking pages from his book.  He too was never concerned with such superficial appearances and took pride in both his past successes and failures (although his failures left him more angered).  He was still irritated by this whole telepathy thing, but it was mitigated slightly by the respect he held for his sister.  All she needed now was to train herself and develop a new style and she would be a Saiyan warrior worth contending.</p><hr/><p>“We don’t know what time we’ll be back,” Alexia told Kuronue.  “Kaiya wanted Mayonaka and me to meet her at Genkai’s.”</p><p>Kuronue had returned home in the morning to check on the girls.  He was not happy when the two of them were suggesting that he stay there and let them run to Genkai’s.  He shook his head and crossed his arms in reply.  There was no way he was letting the girls go there alone, especially when he would still be training there.  “Please, Kuronue,” Alexia pleaded.  “It’s important.”</p><p>“The only reason I <em>allowed</em> you to stay on your own last night was because you were protected by Kurama’s plants and staying in one spot,” he stated.  “There is nothing you can do or say that will cause me to let you go gallivanting to Genkai’s temple alone, especially when I need to go back there.”</p><p>“Fine,” Alexia sighed, “but can you at least take training into the forest or something.  Kaiya said that it’s a private discussion.”</p><p>“I can do that,” Kuronue said with a nod.  Alexia looked away from him for a moment, the bat demon growing concerned at her behavior.  “Alexia, what’s wrong?”</p><p>“It’s nothing,” she lied.  “Kaiya just has something she needs mine and Mayonaka’s help on.”</p><p>Kuronue didn’t buy it, but it was obvious that Alexia didn’t want to talk about whatever was bothering her.  He knew from the past that pushing her would not lead her to open up, but to become more closed off, especially considering his thieving past and her current spy profession.  The fact that she had allowed herself to get closer to him within the last year was a giant leap forward.  He wasn’t going to ruin what little trust she was putting in him.</p><p>“I’ll take you two there now.”</p><hr/><p>“Hey, Bulma,” Yamcha greeted awkwardly.  He found her outside by the pool and decided now would be as good a time as any to apologize for their fight.  “Look, I didn’t mean to blow up on you, especially on something as petty as two Saiyans staying her.”  Bulma didn’t respond to him, just stared at him waiting for him to continue.  “I don’t want them to come between us and I guess I just felt a little left out since your attention was mostly on them.”</p><p>Bulma shook her head.  “Are you done?” she asked him.  When Yamcha nodded, she let out a bitter chuckle.  “That was so not an apology, Yamcha.”</p><p>Yamcha sighed in frustration.  “What do you want from me, Bulma?” he nearly shouted.  “You aren’t exactly making it any easier by siding with them on EVERYTHING!  How do you expect me to react?”</p><p>Bulma stood up and walked over to her currently ex-boyfriend.  She pointed a finger into his chest and poked him with nearly every statement she spoke.  “You do not get to decide what I do with my time; you do not get to decide who I invite into my home; and you certainly do not get to decide who I give my attention to.  If you had paid any attention while you were here, you would have gathered that Kaiya is dealing with something no child should go through.”</p><p>“She’s an adult, Bulma,” Yamcha muttered.</p><p>“Shut up,” she ordered.  “I’m not done.  I’m not talking about age, Yamcha.  Come on…you grew up on your own, right?  You remember how painful that was, right?  She grew up without her father for the most part and her mother is not here to help her deal with all of this.”</p><p>“She’s not human, Bulma,” Yamcha tried to point out.</p><p>“So?” Bulma snapped.  “She was raised human, by a human.  Before Frieza got her and before her <em>father</em> killed her, she <em>was</em> a normal human with fire abilities.  She didn’t ask for this, and damn it, I was going to help her through it.  I don’t know if you noticed but both me and her barely hang out around other females, so I’m sorry if you felt left out when I took time to spend with her.”</p><p>“Okay, fine,” Yamcha muttered.  “I’ll give you that, but what’s with you hanging out with and defending Vegeta all the time?  He tried to kill us, Bulma.  He succeeded in killing me!  How do you forget that?”</p><p>“I didn’t forget it,” Bulma admitted.  “Look, I saw a lot of stuff about him…stuff I will NOT tell you because it really wasn’t any of my business to begin with.  I found out because I went behind his back, but he’s not as bad as he seems, Yamcha.  If you let go of whatever anger you have towards him, you’ll see what I see.”</p><p>“What do you see, Bulma?” Yamcha scowled. “Because all I can see is the guy who keeps bragging about his power, the Super Saiyan legend, and blatantly says that he wants to kill Goku and destroy the planet.  Remember Goku…our childhood friend?  Does that tell you anything?”</p><p>“He also said he wants to fight the androids, and Yamcha, I hate to say this, but we need all the help we can get with that,” Bulma reminded him.  “Besides, I don’t think Vegeta wants to destroy the planet anymore.  It’s his sister’s home.  You have no idea how much she impacts him.  As for his rivalry with Goku, I think that’s changed to.  I mean, he let me take her to meet him so that she’d have protection for a day he wasn’t available.  Who knows what will happen when the androids are gone, but I don’t think it’s that cut and dry anymore.”</p><p>“And what if you’re wrong?” Yamcha challenged.  “What if he’s playing all of you and he still plans on destroying us despite what it would do to his sister.  A leopard doesn’t change his spots, Bulma.”</p><p>“Yamcha, this is exactly why I broke up with you,” the woman pointed out.  “No one can change?  What about you?  What about Tien and Chiaotzu?  What about Piccolo for Kami’s sake?  Why shouldn’t we let Vegeta have the freedom to change?  Why hang onto the past when that clearly isn’t a factor?  Goku accepted it.  He was the first one to let Vegeta go.”</p><p>“He let Frieza go,” Yamcha said deadpanned.  “I love the guy, but there are times where I can’t agree with his decision.”</p><p>“Yamcha, we can’t keep having the same argument,” Bulma said in exasperation.  She was getting tired of defending absolutely every choice that everyone has made, especially her own.  Back when she invited Vegeta to stay, she was being a Good Samaritan.  The estranged Saiyan had no place to go…at all.  There was nowhere he could go, even into space, unless he had returned home with her.  Lately, she had been accepting her initial impulse more and more.  Yes, Vegeta was still distant, arrogant, and generally annoying, but he was also more playful, dare she say kinder, and he was incredibly protective of a sister he found because of her father’s invention.  If she had the opportunity to go back in time and take back her invite, she wouldn’t.  Everything had happened for the better.</p><p>“You’re right,” Yamcha told her.  “But I don’t agree with any of this.”</p><p>“And I don’t want to keep hearing about it,” she retorted.  “So here’s the deal.  This breakup still stands, unless you can stay completely silent on this matter.  If I have to hear it again, I’ll sick the fire demon on you.  Hiei still can’t stand you, you know.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Yamcha muttered.  “It was harmless flirtation.  They need to get over it.”</p><p>Bulma shook her head.  “No, Yamcha,” she said quietly.  “You do.”</p><p>“I can’t.”</p><p>The two humans stared at each other, ignoring the wind that was picking up.  Bulma shivered slightly as the cool air grazed her skin, but stood her ground nonetheless.  Yamcha frowned and then sighed, his head cocking away from her.  “I guess this is it, huh?” he asked.  “Ten years ruined because of drama over Saiyans.”</p><p>Bulma narrowed her eyes at him.  “I guess it is.”  She wasn’t going to place blame anywhere, even though this was all on him.  “Goodbye, Yamcha.”</p><p>“Yeah, see ya,” he whispered before flying away from the compound.</p><p>Vegeta jumped down from the tree he had been resting in before the two voices had woken him up.  When his feet touched down, Bulma huffed in frustration.  “How much did you hear?” she asked.  She wasn’t mad that he overhead.  She definitely learned enough about him and Kaiya by overhearing things that did not concern her.  With how loud they were being, she was surprised that her neighbors hadn’t complained about the fight.  At least the fight did concern Vegeta somewhat.</p><p>Vegeta didn’t answer her.  He just stared as she crossed her arms and started rubbing them with her hands.  She was shivering, and Vegeta was again reminded of human weakness.  He took off the shirt he was wearing and held it out for her to take, which she did.  It covered her like an incredibly short dress would.  “Thanks,” she mumbled before growing silent again.  She looked up at the sky and realized that it was growing increasingly dark.  “I guess it’s going to storm.  I hope Kaiya decides to stay at the temple.  It would suck for her to get caught in this.”</p><p>Vegeta searched for his sister’s energy, as well as heard her thoughts.  Hiei shared with her the same sentiment.  “She is staying,” Vegeta assured Bulma.</p><p>“Good,” she replied.  Then she half-smiled at the Saiyan prince.  “I guess we’re on our own tonight.”</p><p>Vegeta shrugged, ignoring the strange feeling seeing her smile tugged on.  “Apparently.”</p><p>“We should get inside now,” she suggested.  Grabbing her towel, she began to walk back towards the house.  Vegeta had yet to follow her.  He saw he shoulders slump before registering an irritated, “You coming?”</p><p>“Hmph,” he responded, stubbornly crossing his arms and then following Bulma back into the compound.</p><hr/><p>“I hate it when he trains,” Mizuki muttered.  “It always causes these freaky thunderstorms.”</p><p>“Get over it, Miyu,” Jake snapped using his nickname for the girl.  “It’s been a while since I’ve seen his abilities in action.”</p><p>“You actually approve of the way he killed his daughter?” Mizuki hesitantly asked.</p><p>“You don’t?” Jake questioned without taking his eyes off of his master.  “Miyu, she’s a demon.  Even if she was human before, she sided with demons.  She betrayed our master.  Whatever she’s experienced as a result of her treachery, she deserves.”</p><p>“You betrayed her cousin,” Mizuki reminded him.  “Are you saying that she deserved to be punished and you don’t?”</p><p>“Actually, I didn’t betray Nariko,” Jake countered.  “She confided in me about her cousin being a demon.  I was only planning on going after Kaiya when I found out she was Jiro’s daughter.  I would have let Nariko go, but she chose Kaiya and therefore betrayed me.  She’s just like that demon hybrid, and I won’t tolerate betrayal.”</p><p>Mizuki wasn’t even going to point out that Nariko would have been betraying Kaiya if she truly sided with the demon hunters, and that would have meant betraying her family.  Yeah, Kaiya had betrayed her family for her friends and boyfriend, but she had to have had a good reason.  Seeing Jiro shoot his electrical attacks at unsuspecting villages in the distance led her to think differently of the group she joined.  Unfortunately she was in way too deep now, and betrayal and doubt would be punished.  She only hoped that Jiro would be unsuccessful and that her boyfriend would get over his obsession with the demon hunters.  Jake needed to snap out of it.</p><hr/><p>“Did you tell Kuwabara?” Kaiya asked.  Yukina responded with a nod. “And?”</p><p>“He’s excited about being a father,” Yukina told her joyfully.  “He’s already talking about names and applying for a position at Capsule Corp. that Bulma’s dad offered him.  He says it has good hours and pay, and he gets vacation time, so it wouldn’t be like we wouldn’t see each other.  I don’t really understand the concept of a job.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Kaiya said laughing slightly.  “That’s all good news.  It means that it’s a really good job that won’t take his time away from you or the babies.  It also means that whatever work he’s been doing at Capsule Corp., Dr. Briefs must really be impressed with him.”</p><p>“That’s good to know,” Yukina said happily.  “So…have you spoken to Hiei yet?”</p><p>Kaiya felt bad that she hadn’t.  When she got there, Hiei had already been out in the forest training.  She and the girls had yet to go over her mission she accepted from Koenma.  Kaiya had hoped that they would return to Capsule Corp. that night so she could tell him both about the mission and about Yukina’s pregnancy, but with the storm, driving was not the best idea.  She would have to take her chances and tell him and hope he didn’t decide to go after Kuwabara while they were all trapped at the temple.</p><p>“I will tell him when he gets back from training,” Kaiya replied.  “I’ll tell him about the mission first so that he’s angrier at Koenma than Kuwabara.”</p><p>“What is this mission exactly?” another voice asked.  Kaiya looked above her to see Kuwabara’s older sister, Shizuru, standing over her.</p><p>“Glad you can make it,” Kaiya told her.  “Now that you got here, I need to talk to you, Maya, Lexi, and Botan about it.”</p><p>“Why are you dragging me into this?” Botan whined.</p><p>“Because you were Yusuke’s assistant as Spirit Detective, and we may need that knowledge with this case,” Kaiya explained.  “Blame Koenma for doing this.”</p><p>“Do I want to know?” Alexia asked, entering the room.  “I’m getting nervous, especially since your treating this like a spy case.”</p><p>“I don’t know what kind of case it is,” Kaiya admitted.  “It was the only thing I could do to get Koenma to be lenient on any of us if we had to kill Jiro again.”</p><p>“You have <em>got</em> to be kidding,” Mayonaka grumbled.  “Is he trying to get us killed?”</p><p>“I haven’t decided yet,” Kaiya returned sarcastically.  “Okay, so let’s look at this case file.  I want to know what exactly we’re doing before I tell Hiei what Koenma’s putting me through.”</p><p>“Great,” Shizuru replied.  “But why are we here exactly?”</p><p>“Well, Koenma said I could make my own team, and honestly, I’d rather have you girls with me than the guys.  I mean, they’re training, and also, they’d be pissed about this, plus Koenma wants me to do this because they’re training.  I trust all of our abilities to figure this stuff out.”</p><p>“I’m game,” Shizuru replied with a shrug.</p><p>“Yeah, me too,” Mayonaka agreed.  “It’s the least I can do for everything that happened with Kiense.”  Alexia cringed, looking a little apprehensive about it, but only Mayonaka seemed to notice and flashed her a questioning look.  Alexia shook her head and went back to listening.</p><p>“I want to help too,” Yukina said, shocking everyone.  “What?”</p><p>“Yukina,” Kaiya started, “not that I don’t love you like my own sister, but you aren’t really trained for stuff like this.  And you have to think about two other people and what could happen to them.”</p><p>Yukina knew Kaiya was talking about the pregnancy, but the way she worded it led the others to believe she was talking about Hiei and Kuwabara.  “I know,” she said calmly, “but I can help heal you guys.  I don’t want to be kept in the dark again.”</p><p>Kaiya pursed her lips together.  She really did understand where Yukina was coming from, but she couldn’t be the one to agree to putting Hiei’s little sister in danger.  Whether he loved her or not, he would never forgive her if something was to happen to Yukina.  “I’ll discuss it with Hiei later,” she offered.  “I can’t go behind Hiei’s back and agree to letting you come when I know he won’t approve.”</p><p>“Thank you for trying at least,” Yukina responded, smiling.</p><p>“So…the file,” Shizuru said bringing Kaiya’s attention back to the mission.</p><p>“Right, right,” Kaiya responded opening the red folder.  Her eyes narrowed when she saw the location of this mission.  “Greece?”  Mayonaka nearly passed out when she heard that.</p><p>“What does it say, Kaiya?” Alexia asked, ignoring her other cousin banging her head on the table.</p><p>“Well,” Kaiya breathed out, “Koenma is an asshole, I have to admit.  Some guy that used to be a demon hunter under my father broke away after Jiro was killed and came up with his own team centered in Greece, the place where Mayonaka was raised and met Kiense.”</p><p>Shizuru lit her cigarette and took a long drag before motioning to Mayonaka’s unconscious form.  “Is that why she just knocked herself out?”</p><p>“Pretty much,” Kaiya muttered.  “And Kurama was right.”</p><p>“About what?” Botan inquired.</p><p>“Well, it’s obvious Koenma knows who this guy is or he wouldn’t have a general location, picture of a man in a cloak, or details on the man’s goals,” she pointed out, “but he gave us no name and no exact location save a city.  When he did that with Kiense, Kurama told me he also did this on the Sensui case and that the reason he is so hesitant to release more info is because he feels we can’t win.”</p><p>Alexia looked slightly nervous, as well as Botan, although Botan was more nervous because she knew what Kaiya was saying was the truth.  He always sent Yusuke on cases he knew he shouldn’t be able to win because he felt he had no other choice.  Shizuru stopped smoking only for a moment to give her feelings on the situation.</p><p>“So let me get this straight,” she said calmly.  “My baby bro has been helping Yusuke with these cases for how long now?  And every time, Koenma has given them nothing useful in regards to information?”</p><p>“You mad?” Kaiya asked.</p><p>“Nope, not mad,” Shizuru replied stoically.  “Furious is more like it, but whatever.  So you have to do…what exactly?”</p><p>“Well, for mission goals it says find the base, disband the small team (at least we know its small), and bring the leader to Spirit World for questioning,” Kaiya reported.  “That’s it.”</p><p>“So, to recap, a baby deity who is supposed to have power and knowledge of everything so that his teams can actually fight is holding back information that could save us a lot of time and energy, and possibly our lives, yet refuses to give us said information because of his fears that the girl he demanded to take this case can’t win,” Shizuru points out.  “That girl happens to be the girlfriend of a feisty and powerful fire demon with an incredibly bad temper and friends with more demons that hold more weight in the three worlds than he does.  All the while, he’s using this case as blackmail to allow you guys to defend yourselves, and ignoring the fact that if word gets out, he’ll have four powerful demons, my brother, and steroid driven aliens ready to tear him a new one.”</p><p>“To be fair, Saiyans don’t use steroids,” Kaiya corrected.  “They train…a lot, and have a ton of power.”</p><p>“Case and point,” Shizuru stated monotonously.  “Koenma is signing his own death warrant.  It would be much easier to grant you the right to defend yourself now than to just say ‘make a team and bring this bad guy in for questioning.’  What is he going to ask you to do next?  Bring Jiro in for questioning?  Because honestly kid, you don’t deserve that.”</p><p>“Jiro won’t be brought in for questioning,” Kaiya assured her.  “If there wasn’t anything Koenma wanted to know from him before, there’s nothing now.  I know all I need to know.  He’s the reason nearly an entire race is dead.  The only good thing that came out of that was that the crazy lizard decided to experiment on me, and now I have a brother.  Everything else, he can’t make up for.”</p><p>“I don’t even want to know how I ended up in Greece and not part of the deal,” Mayonaka said, finally regaining consciousness.  “I mean, if he was there when we were born, how did we get separated?”</p><p>“Maya,” Kaiya started, “you really don’t want me to answer that.”  She looked back down to the files and said.  “Okay, pretty much, we’re all, give or take Yukina which we won’t know until I actually talk to Hiei, going to Greece to disband a separate team of demon hunters.  He’s going to give us an allowance for anything we need from housing to travel.  Is there anything else we need to consider?”</p><p>“We’re going to Greece,” Mayonaka said.  “So I think that those who know the lay of the land should be waiting there for us.  Want me to give Kiense a call?”</p><p>“Sure,” Kaiya replied.  “We need all the help we can get.”</p><hr/><p>Hiei knew something was up when he came in and Kaiya was still awake.  He knew it wasn’t the storm as the soundproof room blocked out the sounds.  Finding her reading was also not a good sign, especially since school was over.  It usually meant that she was using it as an excuse to stay up later than she should, which also made him feel uneasy as she did that the night Jiro attacked her.  He could have questioned her on it, but instead stayed quiet getting out of his bloodied shirt and getting into the bed.</p><p>He lied on his side next to her, leaving the light on and waiting for her to speak.  “I’m not washing that,” she said smoothly causing the fire demon to chuckle.  She always managed to break the tension somehow.</p><p>“What, in that red folder, are you finding so interesting?” he mumbled into the pillow.</p><p>“Oh, that,” she replied wryly.  “Um, yeah, so about Koenma…”</p><p>Hiei’s amusement disappeared in a flash as he sat up and faced her.  “What?” he growled through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Well,” Kaiya started hesitantly, “he offered me a way to ‘allow’ us to defend ourselves.  He just wants me to go on this case without you guys and told me to make my own team for it.  And not to add insult to injury, but Yukina kind of wants to help too.  I told her I’d talk to you about that and…something else.”</p><p>“I swear if Koenma has any conditions regarding her in this-“</p><p>“No, no, it’s not that,” Kaiya continued nervously.  “It’s just, well, you never told me your birthday was a few weeks ago.”</p><p>“I don’t celebrate my birthday,” Hiei stated factually.  “You knew this.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know that,” Kaiya sighed, “but it is Yukina’s birthday too.  And, well, Hiei, how old are you?”</p><p>“You’re joking, right?”</p><p>“Answer the question!”</p><p>“I thought you didn’t care about that,” Hiei muttered while lying back down.</p><p>“I don’t, Hiei,” Kaiya said in reassurance.  “It’s just that, you and Yukina are twins.  Please just answer the question.”</p><p>“And you get mad at me for beating around the bush,” Hiei retorted.  “I’m one hundred years old, Kaiya.”  After he said it, something in his mind clicked.  “Oh.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Kaiya agreed.  “Yukina is pregnant and…there’s kind of more.”</p><p>Hiei’s eyes burned with anger and irritation.  “Is this your way at getting back at me for all the times I’ve been indirect?”</p><p>“It’s not that, Hiei,” Kaiya breathed out.  “It’s that, it’s difficult to say…Yukina is having twins.”</p><p>For a second, Hiei was silent before he began to chuckle wryly.  “That’s funny, Kaiya,” he said jokingly, although she could feel his energy fluctuating slightly.  “It sounds like you said she’s having twins, but the only way that could happen is that the idiot did something he shouldn’t.”</p><p>“Hiei,” Kaiya said carefully.  “Just stay calm, okay?  They’re kind of mated now, and Kuwabara is planning to marry her and be there for her and the kids.  Everything is fine.”</p><p>Hiei sat up, ignoring Kaiya’s hand on his back.  He walked across the room, picking up his sword.  He acted as though he was admiring the sheathed weapon.  Kaiya was growing even more concerned by Hiei’s silence than when he was trying to play off the situation.  She got out of the bed to take a few steps his way.  His eyes froze her in place and he motioned for her to sit on the bed.  Kaiya’s body responded before her mind even registered that he was at the bedroom door.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Kaiya,” he said in a dangerously low and playful voice.  “This won’t take long.”</p><p>Kaiya just sat in the room as he left it trying to figure out what he was planning on doing.  Yukina was not going to be happy when Hiei showed up at her room.  Surely he wouldn’t think about harming Kuwabara, or at least she hoped he wouldn’t.  Then she thought about her own brother and briefly wondered what he would do if she were in Yukina’s position.  “I don’t even want to know,” she whispered before closing the light in the room.  The only thing her mind processed was lying down on the bed hoping that Hiei would keep his cool.</p><hr/><p>The next morning, Kaiya woke up and it was utterly silent.  There was no storm outside, evidence given by the sun peeking through the semi-closed window.  She heard no footsteps or voices, which was rare when Genkai had a full house.  There was no sound of the tea kettle going off, which it always seemed to.  Worst of all, Hiei was not lying next to her in bed.</p><p>She could have assumed the worse, that he boyfriend mutilated Kuwabara, but she decided to go for something different.  Getting out of bed and tossing on a robe, she left the comfort of the room and went outside.  She smiled at what she saw.</p><p>Hiei was sitting in silence, seething, at the outside table with Yukina and Kuwabara.  Kuwabara seemed nervous, but Yukina was smiling.  Obviously something good had come out of whatever happened the night before.  When Hiei saw Kaiya, he looked incredibly relieved.</p><p>“Good morning, Kaiya,” Yukina greeted.  “Breakfast?”</p><p>“Sure, Yukina,” Kaiya replied with a smile.  She took a seat next to Hiei and grabbed his hand which he instantly accepted and laced their fingers together, squeezing it incredibly hard.  Kaiya had to force herself not to laugh at his behavior.  It was obvious he still wanted to take out Kuwabara and was trying to refrain with every fiber of his being.  She gently rubbed his hand with her thumb, loosening his grip on her slightly.</p><p>“So,” Kuwabara started awkwardly, “Hiei told me about Koenma and he said Yukina wanted to go with you.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded at the redhead.  “Yeah.  Your sister, Botan, Maya, Alexia, and I were talking about it and Yukina wants to help.  Maya is contacting Kiense.  Most likely we’ll be seeing him, Marissa, and possibly Toshi, although they’ll probably have Toshi stay with the kids for protection, so yeah.”</p><p>“You are taking Kuwabara with you,” Hiei demanded.  “He will be looking after Yukina.”  Kaiya realized that’s why Yukina was so happy, other than her brother sparing her boyfriend and apparently mate.  “I want you to ask Vegeta to go with you.”</p><p>Kaiya frowned at that.  She knew she had to tell Vegeta about everything, but she really didn’t want to.  She’d rather him be pissed at her when she told him that she was going to be skipping out on training for a few weeks, especially after the previous day’s training session.  She had a lot of work to do, and she knew Vegeta wasn’t pleased with that.  Yeah, he would be mad about it, but she’d rather him be mad at her temporarily than Spirit World indefinitely.  “I’m not going to do that, Hiei,” she told him without room for argument.  “If I did, he’d try going to Koenma and then we’d need a new Spirit World ruler.”</p><p>“That’s a bad thing?” Hiei questioned.  “Look, if you don’t tell him, I will.”</p><p>“Hiei,” Kaiya nearly growled.  “I never forced you to tell Yukina about who you were.”  Kuwabara’s eyes bugged out when he heard Kaiya admit she knew and kept quiet.  “You should not demand I tell Vegeta anything I don’t want to tell him.  We have a lot of people involved, and now Kuwabara too.  We’ll be okay, Hiei.  I will be fine.”</p><p>Hiei did not have a counter for her, but instead narrowed his eyes at the human across from them.  Kuwabara cringed, pushing himself as far back in his chair as he could, but not removing his eyes that were captured by Hiei’s.  “If anything happens to either of them, I’ll kill you.”</p><p>Kuwabara laughed nervously and held up his hands.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll take care of ‘em.  We are all family after all.”</p><p>Hiei nodded and then looked to Kaiya forcefully.  Kaiya sighed knowing that Hiei wanted to talk in private.  “We’ll be right back,” she told Kuwabara.</p><p>When they were out of earshot, on the outskirts of Genkai’s forest, she turned to Hiei and placed her hands on his shoulders.  “So what happened after you ordered me to stay in the room?”</p><p>“I went to attack him,” Hiei stated, plain and simple.  “I couldn’t.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Kaiya asked, though she was happy about Hiei’s restraint.</p><p>Hiei sighed as he remembered the scene from the previous night.</p><p>
  <em>He had slammed open the door, katana in hand, but it seemed the two had expected his reaction and were not fazed by it.  Kuwabara and Yukina were sitting on a small couch while the human was gently rubbing her stomach smiling like an idiot.  He looked over to Hiei who embodied bewilderment.  He didn’t remember a time he’d seen his sister so happy before, other than when he finally confessed to being her brother.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hey, Hiei,” Kuwabara greeted softly.  “Hold on; we can talk outside.” He turned back to Yukina.  “Don’t worry; we’ll be back soon my sweet.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yukina giggled and rolled her eyes, but kissed Kuwabara on the cheek.  “I know,” she told him.  She smiled over to Hiei and nodded to him to show him her understanding of his reaction.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kuwabara got up from the couch and walked over to Hiei who was still looking into the room dumbfounded.  Kuwabara paused at the door and whispered, “Come on, this can’t be that shocking.  Let’s go.”</em>
</p><p><em>Hiei was a little taken aback by the forcefulness in Kuwabara’s voice, but simply narrowed his eyes and conveyed a message through telepathy.  </em>Whatever, human, but believe me, make one wrong move or comment and you are dead.</p><p>
  <em>Kuwabara inaudibly chuckled.  “Right, Hiei.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They went outside of the temple and Kuwabara looked up at the stormy sky, though the stars were still visible.  “Man, it’s hard to conceive the idea of all of that having some other race, you know?  I wonder how Kaiya’s dealing with it.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Point one against you,” Hiei growled.  “Leave Kaiya out of this.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kuwabara audibly chuckled this time.  “Wasn’t trying to bring her into it, Hiei.  My relationship with Yukina is a completely separate thing.  I know that.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hn,” Hiei replied, katana still in hand.  As he played with the hilt in his hand, staring at it, he considered what exactly he had to say to this human, his “brother-in-law” as Kaiya would term him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I love her, Hiei,” Kuwabara stated.  “I know you don’t like it, but I do.  I would do anything for her to make her happy, and I would give up my life before I’d let anything happen to her and now to our children.  I don’t care about whatever laws you two came from.  Other than your mother and sister and maybe that woman who raised her and told her about you (and that’s a big maybe), the other ice maidens are trash in my mind.  No one should ever do what they did to any of you.  If they ever turn up again to come after our kids, trust me, they won’t get the chance.  With Yukina here in Human World, she never has to worry about that stuff ever again, and honestly, neither do you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hiei didn’t say anything, although he did release a sigh of both frustration and reluctant acceptance.  “Yukina and Kaiya are the two most important people in my life,” he admitted.  “You are taking partial responsibility for one of them.  If I sense anything wrong, her physical wellbeing or her emotional happiness, there will be nowhere in all three worlds or that crazy universe up there,” he nodded his head towards the sky, “that you will be able to hide.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As the Jagan glowed underneath his headband, Kuwabara smiled.  “That’s how it should be, Hiei.  Brothers are always supposed to protect their sisters.  I’d be acting the same way with whatever guy Shizuru would be dating, and she’s older than me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hiei took this piece of information Kuwabara was giving him and he couldn’t help but agree.  After all, Vegeta went after him when he found out about Kaiya.  He was surprised that he too was going through the motions like everyone else.</em>
</p><p>“Wait, is that why you and Vegeta wanted to train alone that one day?” Kaiya interrupted.</p><p>“Yes,” Hiei replied curtly.  Well, that discussion was over.</p><p>“So you’re okay with all of this?” Kaiya pressed cautiously.  Where she didn’t want to provoke Hiei, she did want to make sure he wouldn’t be going after Kuwabara anytime soon.</p><p>“No,” Hiei answered honestly, “but I will accept it, only for Yukina and her kids.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded and moved her hands down Hiei’s arms to his hands.  “You’re a good brother, Hiei,” she said sincerely.  “And you’re going to be an amazing uncle.  Don’t forget that, okay?”</p><p>Hiei nodded, blushing slightly, and then looked back to the porch.  “You need to eat,” he reminded her.  “You’re going to need all the energy you can get dealing with this mission.”</p><p>Kaiya had to agree with him.  She still wasn’t certain on what to expect.  The good news was that this time, unlike her first mission with Spirit World, there was only one city that needed investigating so her team wouldn’t be completely separated.  If they needed each other, it wouldn’t take an hour or two to get there.  At least they had that going for them.  And she also had her new move which would come in handy.  Now she just had to get out of training, and was prepared to be berated for it.</p><hr/><p>Jiro was ecstatic after releasing his energy the previous night.  It had been a long time since he fought.  HFIL definitely didn’t allow him to reach his full potential since his spirit energy was locked away, a move of caution on Otherworld’s part.  He had to laugh about that whole scenario.</p><p>Koenma planned on sentencing him to Limbo, but Jiro didn’t seem to care for the treatment he’d receive there.  He knew that it was hell to be sentenced there, and so he used his carefully planned acting skills to play it off as no more than a minor bee sting compared to what he deserved.  Like his daughter, Koenma was responsive to his lies and he was handed over to King Yemma.  Seems the Spirit World ruler was not apt in taking over his father’s, King Enma’s, position.  That worked to his advantage.</p><p>The Spirit World ruler was still following his father’s old laws.  That would be terrible for him if he were to die again, but perfect for his life in the living.  As long as he was human, his daughter and her friends couldn’t touch him.  They’d be imprisoned for eternity if they did that, or worse.  She would again be left unprotected.  His only concern was the two full-blooded Saiyans.</p><p>He hated his daughter for befriending demons, but he hated her more for befriending Saiyans.  From what he observed, the girl definitely knew about Frieza and his experimentation, meaning she knew of her Saiyan abilities and her ties to the Saiyan prince.  That would be the biggest challenge to overcome.  You would think he’d be more concerned about the Saiyan who defeated Frieza, but he knew from the grapevine that Kakarot, or Goku, or whatever he called himself, was kindhearted.  Like his daughter, he would not kill unless he absolutely had to.  Vegeta was different.  The prince would kill him without a second thought and wash the blood from his hands erasing the memory of him out of existence.</p><p>Jiro frowned when he thought about the murderous look the Saiyan prince graced him with.  It was almost as if he was saying, “Enjoy life now, because I’m coming for you.”  He didn’t know much about him except that he was one of Frieza’s top soldiers until his rebellious side shone through.  After that, Frieza began sending the Saiyans on either missions where they would easily succeed, so that they would not increase their strength as much, or missions they wouldn’t be able to complete on time, to force them to receive punishments.  Now that the prince was free and Frieza was gone, Jiro had no protection from him.</p><p>Still, after his powerful display the previous night, he was not concerned.  Electricity seemed to have a negative effect on Saiyans, a reason Kaiya was killed so easily.  He’d need to catch the prince off-guard as he had with Kaiya.  Jiro was not an idiot to believe that Vegeta would just let him attack.</p><p>“Master.”  Jake entered the room Jiro was residing in, breaking him from his thoughts.</p><p>“What?” he said with a slight snap in his voice.  “Did you get what I asked?”</p><p>“Yes sir,” Jake said as he gently placed a broken mirror on the nightstand.  “The Forlorn Hope, as you requested.  Still, this broken mirror can’t possibly serve you in any way.  Why use it, if I may ask?”</p><p>“Yes, you may,” Jiro stated sincerely.  “You have earned my trust, Jake.  You did well in my absence, and even found the way to bring me back.  I meant what I said yesterday.  You shall be rewarded greatly.”</p><p>“Thank you, master,” Jake replied with a small bow though Jiro was not facing him.  “So what is the plan?”</p><p>“There are few things I want to have happen from all of this,” Jiro started.  “One is that I want my daughter to pay with her life, but now I think I want to further that.  I want that brat to lose everything she holds dear, including the one world she still has no clue about.”</p><p>“Which is?” Jake asked, now confused since the girl was a part of two words she knew little about.</p><p>“I’m talking about Demon World,” Jiro elaborated.  “My purpose in going there, and do NOT speak of this to Mizuki, is simple.  Once our team has strengthened, they should be holding their big tournament.  I want to kill all of the favorites to win, including the current pacifist that balanced the three worlds.  It would send their world into complete chaos, and even better, Kaiya would lose her friends and lover in the process.”</p><p>“But then the demons would be free to enter our world since the barrier is down,” Jake pointed out his only doubt.  “What then?”</p><p>“That is what the forlorn hope is for,” Jiro explained.  “When the time comes, if it comes, and we cannot defend ourselves from the demons, we will simply wish them away with the mirror.  Despite its broken appearance, it still works.  Why else would Spirit World continue to protect a useless relic?  If we need to, we will have one of the lower ranked soldiers make the wish that all demons be eliminated from this world.  The mirror will exchange his life for our wish to come true, and then we will have succeeded in purging the world of all demons.”</p><p>Jake smirked at his master’s plan.  It sounded completely thought out and flawless.  Mizuki, from the outside of the room, had also heard and shook her head.  It wasn’t flawless to her, but cowardly.  It would just be erasing the problem.  Not all demons were bad, and even Jiro knew that.  What he was doing was completely unethical.  Still, Mizuki was concerned for her siblings, and there was nothing she could do against his electrical abilities.  Her only hope was that the spirit detectives would stop him.</p><hr/><p>“I don’t believe I heard you correctly,” Vegeta said in a forced calm.  He couldn’t believe that after one day of serious training, his sister was asking to skip out on it for the next few weeks.  Skipping training was a serious offense to him.  Depending on how she answered would determine how he was going to deal with her.</p><p>Kaiya was doing her best to guard her thoughts from Vegeta.  She didn’t want him flipping out at Spirit World, so she knew she’d be taking the brunt of his anger.  After hearing his voice, she knew she’d have to choose her words carefully.  “It’s not like I want to skip out on training,” Kaiya started, “but the girls and I have something we have to take care of.  I’ll work on the things we did yesterday and then work on perfecting the moves I have already.  When I get back you could put me through training three weeks straight if you want, but this is something I NEED to do.”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t know what hit her when she went flying into a tree and caught herself.  She stared at Vegeta, shocked that he attacked her like that.  He saw the hurt reflected on her face but paid it no mind as he marched over to her.</p><p>“If you couldn’t block that,” he growled, staring at her like a predator stares at prey, “then you have no business doing whatever the hell you think you <em>‘need’</em> to do!”  He punched the tree next to the girl holding back in his strength as not to break it.  “There is a madman after you that wants to kill you!” he reminded her angrily.  “Your training has NOT prepared you for ANYTHING!  Wherever you go, you will be in constant danger and you are completely disregarding it!”</p><p>“Well actually-“</p><p>“NO!” Vegeta shouted.  “You are listening to what I am saying!  I don’t want to hear your excuses!  What is so damn important that you would risk your life?”</p><p>“Yours is!” Kaiya yelled out, tears starting to fall.  “Vegeta, I don’t want to tell you, okay?  Just this once, let me do what I have to do!  I don’t want to skip out on training and if I had it my way, I wouldn’t be!  I don’t want to die again, and I don’t want Jiro to hurt anyone, but I also don’t want anybody hurt because they go after Jiro!”</p><p>Kaiya pushed past Vegeta and ran into the compound as Bulma was coming outside to alert Vegeta to his fixed training bots.  She stared blankly at the Saiyan after she watched Kaiya ascend the stairs in tears.  Both of them could hear her sobs before the sound of a door slamming, and then after that, Vegeta could only pick up on muffled sounds through her window.</p><p>“What did I just walk in on?” Bulma questioned.  Vegeta just grunted and stormed off to the GR.</p><p>He was still angry with Kaiya for asking to stop training, especially for how long she was asking.  Her words were not lost on him, but Kaiya still had a responsibility to herself to perfect her abilities and defense or her life would be ended a second time.  Now, the telepathy was affecting him yet again as he heard thoughts of how upset she was at him for his reaction.  The Saiyan was not sorry for it.  She needed some sense knocked into her after what he had seen these past two days.  She was living in her own little dream world it seemed, which made sense considering how she could change from sad, angered, or irritated to completely happy.  The one thought that did concern him though was that she felt betrayed.  Vegeta stopped training when he heard that.  There was no possible way she could ever think he betrayed her.  He could never be a danger to her, despite the occasional hit.  He had honestly held back and managed not to treat her the way he treated other weaklings, the way he treated Nappa.  He wasn’t planning on killing her, ever.</p><hr/><p>When Hiei got home, he found Kaiya curled into a ball on their bed, crying her eyes out, and he didn’t know why.  He tried to get into her mind, but she was already fighting to block her thoughts and he not want to startle her by breaking her forced barrier.  Instead he placed her hand on her back.  Kaiya gasped and then looked up to see Hiei.  The tears started again, as she had hoped to see Vegeta to talk.  Unfortunately for her, in her mind, he didn’t want to deal with her.  She had disappointed him, something she never wanted to do.</p><p>“Hiei,” she spoke hoarsely, “I think I’m going to call the girls so we can leave tonight.  I need to get this done.”</p><p>“What happened in the last two hours to upset you like this?” Hiei asked in concern.  Kaiya cried a lot of the time, but only a few tears or small sobs.  She hadn’t been like this for a very long time, since she had told him about her past with Jiro in fact, and he hated it even worse since it spoke volumes to the pain she was actually in.</p><p>“Nothing,” she lied as her voice cracked.  “Let it go.  I just need to leave.  You can tell Bulma tomorrow, but I can’t stay here another minute…not now.”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  He was completely confused as to what was going on with Kaiya.  Sighing, he asked, “How long are you anticipating being gone?”</p><p>“Three weeks,” she told him, and then added, “which will be good for me.  I need to do this.”</p><p>“Kaiya,” Hiei growled, “what the hell happened?  What has you this eager to jump into danger unprepared?  Who upset you?  Did you see Jiro?  Did Koenma put you up to something else?  WHAT?”</p><p>“Leave me alone!” Kaiya shouted, burying herself in her pillow.  “Just let me deal.  I’ll call you when we get to Greece, okay?  Stay with Kurama so you have phone access.”</p><p>“I will get you to tell me what happened eventually, Kaiya,” he stated, “but for now, for you, I will let it go.  As for after the mission, if you are to stay gone any longer, I want you to call me and I will go wherever you need me to.  I’d rather limit how long you’re alone.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded in acceptance of Hiei’s condition.  She knew he was only looking out for her, especially because he didn’t want to lose her again.  “I need to pack,” she told him as she started to calm down and wipe the tears away.  Hiei looked at her intensely, and she stepped back slightly.  “What?”</p><p>Hiei moved his hands to take his hiruiseki stone from around his neck.  Kaiya had no idea what he was doing before he placed it over hers.  She could feel the demon energy radiating off of it, but could also feel the gem’s calming effect.</p><p>“I just want you to take it with you,” he told her.  “If you run into any demons on whatever this mission is, they’ll know you are taken.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled and nodded, wiping away the last of her tears.  “Thanks, Hiei,” she whispered.</p><p>“Hn,” came his usual, simple reply.  “I’m going to go shower.  I’ll tell Bulma tonight at dinner that you will be dealing with this mission for a while.”  Hiei grabbed some clothes and left the room so that Kaiya could start packing.  She went for the essentials, including the katana that Hiei started to teach her to use.  She would work with that as well while she was away.  She needed to learn anything that could give her an edge against Jiro in the future.  She’d definitely need everything she could utilize for the mission against the unknown demon hunter.  She hoped that one day Koenma would stop pulling this kind of stuff with her and her friends.  It always managed to cause problems for everyone.  She couldn’t stand it anymore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 13 - Unwanted Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own YYH, DBZ, or the characters…just my many, MANY OCs (too many to list really XD)  Also, thanks to previous writings, the OCs had never been described, so I get to do that now :3  lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya and her friends were able to get their luggage easily.  She had been thankful for a peaceful flight and airport experience.  Usually there was more confusion with international flights.  It seemed like someone in the universe was trying to give her a break.  After everything that happened over the last few days, she needed it.</p><p>“Kaiya, are you alright?” Yukina asked in concern.  Kaiya had not been acting like herself, and she wasn’t the only one who had noticed.  Both Mayonaka and Alexia had tried to engage her in conversation during the flight.  Kaiya just waved them off and listened to her iPod the entire time.  Likewise, Botan was chattering now and noticed that Kaiya was not chirping along with her.  She only hoped that the girl did not have to deal with another of Koenma’s challenging games.  Kuwabara and Shizuru watched her closely.  They could also tell that something was up with the girl.</p><p>“I’m fine, Yukina,” Kaiya lied.  She had really tried to be fine.  Her mind tried to rationalize her the entire night before the trip.  She had gotten in touch with Koenma with a communication mirror and asked him to book a flight for the seven of them to Athens.  Mayonaka said that Kiense and Marissa would meet them at the airport and then the nine of them would take a boat ride to the island they needed to get to, Crete.  There, Toshi, Suze, and the twins they had met before would be waiting at a large rented house that Kaiya convinced Koenma to rent for the three weeks.  It was the least he could do for forcing them into this hell.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Botan pressed.  “You’ve seemed off since last night.  Actually, I was surprised you wanted to leave so quickly.  You just told us about the mission a couple days ago.”</p><p>Kaiya cringed and clung onto her bag, hanging from her left shoulder.  Her katana swung slightly from her other shoulder as she grabbed onto the handle of her rolling suitcase.  Shizuru and Kuwabara could sense that the girl was hurting and didn’t want to talk about it.  “If the kid says she’s fine, we have no business arguing,” Shizuru stated.  “Now let’s get out of this airport.  I need a smoke.”</p><p>“I didn’t know you got nerves from flying,” Mayonaka spoke up.  “You didn’t seem nervous on the plane.”</p><p>“It’s not nerves,” Shizuru replied, “but if I don’t do something to calm the rage I’m feeling due to this farce of a mission then Koenma will have to deal with me coming after him next.”</p><p>Nervous chuckles could be heard among the group, except with Kaiya who was still clutching her belongings.  She was feeling so much hurt and so much like a failure.  The Saiyan princess kept telling herself that if she finished the mission quickly and could return to training, she could erase disappointing her brother.  Would he forgive her for disappointing him?</p><p>“Kaiya, did you hear me?” Mayonaka asked her.  Kaiya snapped out of her thoughts, blinking and trying to regain herself before looking at her irritated sister.  Mayonaka sighed and said, “I’ll take that as a ‘no.’  Listen for once, will you?”  Mayonaka didn’t notice her sister cringe at her tone of voice.  “Kiense said that he’d be waiting for us at this great restaurant a few blocks away.  He has a capsule car for us to put our luggage in while we eat and then we’ll head to the boat…are you sure you’re okay, sis?  You look distant.”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head to try to regain herself.  Her thoughts and fears were all over the place.  She managed to keep her mental block up, but honestly, if one of their new enemies had telepathic abilities, she’d be screwed.  Also, if she couldn’t focus on the mission at hand, she’d be screwed too.  “I’m really fine,” she lied again.</p><p>“Well, alright then,” Mayonaka responded in shock.  She couldn’t believe the way her sister was acting.  Never, and that means NEVER, had she ever seen her sister acting this way.  It scared her, honestly.  Kaiya would need to be in perfect control this entire mission or it would be like her first all over again.  They didn’t know the enemy well enough, and, if the enemy caught on to her behavior, it would be terrible.</p><p>Alexia, too, didn’t buy it, and being trained with Kaiya, she knew.  Kaiya was dealing with something, and it was something big.  She remembered times where Kaiya would act like this, and the young fighter would make more mistakes than she’d be able to make against a true opponent.  Where the two of them were trained to be rivals, Alexia had never truly wanted to kill Kaiya.  When she found out that she was her cousin, somehow, she felt the protectiveness inside her grow.  The two of them were the same age, but Alexia was more hardened than Kaiya, and had more experience with true spy cases.  She did not want her cousin to go into this hurting.</p><p>As they began to leave the airport, Alexia placed her hand on Kaiya’s shoulder, making the girl freeze in place.  “Listen Kaiya,” she chided gently, “I know you’re going through something.  Everyone can tell.  If they can, our enemies will as well.  I’m not telling you to get over it.  We both know it doesn’t work like that, but you need to bottle it for now.  Bottle it and save it for when this mission is done, or else, Kaiya…you’re going to get yourself killed again.  No one will be able to handle that, especially that brother of yours that just found out you were his sister.”</p><p>When Kaiya flinched, Alexia knew she hit a nerve.  Whatever was bothering Kaiya had to do with Vegeta, but the dark-haired girl could not figure out what.  Then Kaiya said sadly, “Vegeta would be fine without me.  He doesn’t need a disappointment in his life.  Let’s just get this mission over with.”</p><p>Alexia’s teal eyes followed Kaiya as she walked out the automatic doors.  She didn’t think Vegeta cared about her?  That was a surprising sentiment to say the least.  If there was anything Kaiya would have said in that moment, Alexia would have never seen that coming.  All she had seen or heard about the Saiyan prince from her cousin was good, but now?  What happened in less than a day that had her cousin so upset, and would she be able to get ahold of her already spiraling emotions before they had to do recon?  Alexia shook her head from her thoughts.  She couldn’t let herself get out of sorts too, especially when so much was riding on this single mission.  If Kaiya was going to choose now to break down, Alexia would take the lead.</p><hr/><p>Hiei had not run into Bulma the night before to tell her about Kaiya leaving for the mission.  He had found food in the fridge and a note on the table explaining that she needed to take care of something at the company the previous night while her father and mother were on a trip.  He wasn’t fazed by the note as it had nothing to do with him.  All it meant was that explaining Kaiya’s absence would be prolonged.  He could live with that.</p><p>Vegeta walked into the kitchen in the morning and saw Hiei standing in there, leaning against the counter with his foot pressed into it and his arms crossed.  He was wearing a color other than black for a change, a pair of black pants but also a light blue tank top.  He was tapping his fingers impatiently when Bulma entered the kitchen and found the two men just staring around.</p><p>“Oh, good morning guys,” she greeted.  “Hey, Hiei, where’s Kaiya?”</p><p>Upon hearing his sister’s name, the Saiyan’s expression darkened.  He wondered if Kaiya was going to try to avoid him for the day or if she would come to train at some point.  He made his view on her training perfectly clear.  Besides, it sounded like she still had a few days before she went wherever the hell she was going.  When Hiei spoke, his theory was proven false.</p><p>“She’s not here,” Hiei explained in irritation.  “She’s on a mission for Spirit World.  That idiotic ruler, Koenma, decided that in order to change the law that says we all go to Spirit World prison, including anyone Saiyan, she was to complete a blind mission with a team she formed.  I’m not happy about it, but at least she was smart enough to bring a lot of capable spies and those with spiritual awareness to help her out.  She was adamant about leaving last night.”</p><p>“I wonder why she wanted to leave so abruptly,” Bulma voiced.  She didn’t notice Vegeta glaring at her.  He hoped she’d shut up and not reveal to Hiei what happened.  He had enough to deal with and did not need his sister’s boyfriend to bitch at him.  “Maybe it was that argument she had with Vegeta.”</p><p>“What?” Hiei asked quietly but curtly as Vegeta’s glare hardened.  The fire demon swiftly turned to glare at Vegeta.  The prince was shocked to see such hate in Hiei’s eyes.  “What the hell did you do?”</p><p>“What are you going on about?” Vegeta growled.  Bulma sensed an argument about to start and backed away from the two warriors praying that the kitchen wouldn’t be destroyed by whatever was about to go down.</p><p>“Do you know that last time I saw Kaiya THAT torn up?” Hiei asked in anger.  “It was when Jiro told her she was a traitor.  That night, before she was killed, when she wanted to be alone.  Before he showed up, she was telling me everything he had done or said to her in life and she was hysterical, and it took a long time to calm her down, and then even after that, she got killed because she was too hurt to come back inside with me.  He did that!”  Hiei didn’t realize he had started walking towards Vegeta and stopping himself at the kitchen table by clenching onto the marble covering.  “Last night…last night I couldn’t even believe what I saw.  She was hysterical, and seeing me only made it worse.  All she kept saying was she needed to get away from here!”  Hiei paused but Vegeta didn’t get a chance to answer before Hiei’s heated fists cracked the marble in the table and he screamed at him in rage.</p><p>“Whatever you did or said…she’s not ready for a mission, damn it!” he exclaimed causing Bulma to gasp and Vegeta’s glare to soften as shock invaded him.  “If you think she can’t fight with a clear head against her relatives, it’s even worse when she’s hurting.  She’s left abruptly because she wants this to be over, and I get that, but she’s not going to be able to fight back if she’s upset.  Her fire powers are linked to her emotions.  She’s at a disadvantage now, all because you got into an argument with her!  What the hell were you fighting about?  What was so damn important to fight over that you caused her to lose it like that?”</p><p>Vegeta did not like being yelled at by this demon.  He didn’t care if he deserved it or not.  No one was going to speak to the Prince of all Saiyans that way.  “It’s none of your business,” he replied curtly.</p><p>“Don’t,” Hiei spoke darkly, breaking off a part of the table.  “Don’t you dare try to say it’s none of my business.  That girl you hurt and chased away is someone I care about greatly, and I swear, if you did something to her that gets her hurt, I don’t care how much more powerful you are than me.  I will send you to hell even if I have to send myself there first.  No one hurts ANYONE I care about!”</p><p>Vegeta was taken aback, but he realized he should have expected Hiei to act this way.  Hiei had shown how much he cared about Kaiya in that fight they had had, as well as from his monologue after.  The Saiyan figured Hiei’s complaining was done, but he would have been wrong.</p><p>“Tell me!” Hiei demanded, banging on the table with his fist.  “I demand to know what you did or said to her that sent her off in the manner she left in.”</p><p>“She was asking to skip out on her training after only a day of REAL training,” Vegeta said loudly and forcefully.  “I hit her with a small ki blast and scolded her for being so reckless with her own life.  She needs to train and not go gallivanting with her friends on a whim.  She refused to tell me about the damn mission when I asked, so how was I to know what she was doing?”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “Are you telling me,” he said deathly calm, “that you actually hit and scolded her when she said she needed to pass up on something as small as TRAINING?”  Hiei couldn’t even look at Vegeta.  Even Bulma was avoiding looking at the Saiyan in that moment.  “Let’s get one thing straight, Vegeta.  I don’t care who the fuck raised you.  I don’t care that the same creep that turned her into your sister raised you and forced you to purge planets.  Hell, I was raised by killers myself, but there is one thing you’ve seemed to have forgotten.</p><p>“Kaiya is an <em>earthling</em>, and she is <em>human</em>!  Those two things give her strong emotional ties to anyone she deems family or friend, even if that person is a homicidal maniac that KILLED her.  And then you go and berate her for something she does not grasp the importance of because she was raised that way…Do you know how much emotional scarring you just caused for her?  She was already upset before she came to talk to you.  She didn’t want to leave.  She is doing this for all of us.  There’s something you need to know about her.”</p><p>Vegeta rolled his eyes.  “And what, dare I ask, is that?”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “She was proud of herself for being able to do this,” he said quietly.  “She hated leaving, but she knew she could do it and protect all of us and-“</p><p>“I don’t need protecting.”</p><p>“Shut up!” Hiei snapped.  “You don’t understand her.  I agree that this is a stupid emotion to have, but it’s hers.  She felt proud, and she wanted you to be proud of her too.  I bet you didn’t even give her the chance to explain, did you?”  Vegeta said nothing, confirming Hiei’s thoughts.  “Shit,” he grumbled.  Hiei was irritated.  He knew how Kaiya was when it came to disappointing those close to her.  He should have seen it before she left, recognized it from the nights she mourned her broken relationship with Jiro and listing all the reasons all of her demon friends should have hated her.</p><p>Hiei shook his head again and turned to face Bulma.  “I can’t stay here for a while either, or I may destroy more than your easily breakable table.  I need to go to stay with Kurama to have phone access in case Kaiya calls.  I’ll be leaving right away.  I can’t stand here another second.”</p><p>Hiei flashed out of the kitchen faster than lightning.  Bulma and Vegeta were left alone in there, in this heavy silence that Hiei’s rant caused.  Neither of them knew what thoughts were now invading the fire demon’s mind, so Bulma assumed Hiei was still furious at Vegeta and that Kaiya’s hurt had something to do with his treatment of her the previous day.  Eventually, the human looked over to Vegeta who was staring at the partially broken kitchen table.</p><p>“Vegeta,” Bulma tried to say calmly.  Her voice cracked, causing Vegeta to flinch.  “She didn’t deserve that.  I know training is important to Saiyans, but on Earth, we don’t abuse our hurting relatives because they ask for a break.”  Bulma laughed bitterly before continuing.  “I hope you’re proud of yourself.  If that girl decides not to come back, it’s on you.”</p><p>She left Vegeta alone in the kitchen with nothing but his thoughts.  The prince had not done anything wrong, he continued to tell himself, but then their words, Hiei’s and Bulma’s, that Earth had different customs…</p><p>He thought about what Hiei had said and then reflected on Kaiya’s thoughts and fears from the night before.  He had hurt her, from how Hiei made it sound almost beyond repair.  Vegeta had crossed a line with Kaiya yet he didn’t understand it.  He refused to admit that he was wrong to the others or to her; he still had his pride.  He could admit he wronged her to himself, but that was it.  So what if they thought him callous and cruel.  They all had to stop living in this Earthly delusion that Kaiya was not at risk being out without the proper training.  Maybe when something would happen to the girl, they’d see that, but Vegeta didn’t know if he could live with himself if something truly did happen to her.  The healthy thing to do at this point would have been to talk about it with someone who could understand his thinking.  Vegeta was not one to do the healthy thing.  Instead he planned to do what he did best.  He was going to train the day away in the GR without any distractions.  Maybe then, he would get rid of this annoying twinge of guilt he rarely felt and hated so much.</p><hr/><p>“Kiense!” Mayonaka exclaimed before jumping into the arms of a young man with dark brown hair and green eyes.</p><p>“Maya,” he greeted lovingly.  “It’s been forever.  Remind me that I need to move back to Japan when this is all said and done.  I’ve been lonely without you.”</p><p>“He really has,” a tall girl with straightened, long, black hair said.  Her lavender eyes looked among the team.  “I see a lot of new faces.  The only three I know are Maya, Kaiya, and Kuwabara.”</p><p>“We’ll do introductions inside, Marissa,” Mayonaka said as they loaded their luggage into the capsule car.  Kaiya was the last to put her luggage in and lingered in the trunk for a moment longer than she should have.</p><p>“Maya, babe,” Kiensa whispered tightening his arms around her, “is your sister okay?  She’s not still upset with what my alternate form did to her, is she?”</p><p>“I have no idea, honestly, Kien,” Mayonaka replied.  “She seemed fine when I offered to contact you.  We just talked about it two days ago and she was fine with it.  Now she’s out of it and seems really depressed, and last night she wanted us to drop everything to leave and come here.  I have no idea what caused her to act this way, but whatever it is, it’s bad.  She needs to focus or she’ll be-“</p><p>“Don’t say it,” Kiense ordered.  “I will make sure she’s safe.  I owe it to that fire demon boyfriend of hers.  I owe him for what my counterpart put them through.  I will make sure my debt is paid and that I keep you sister in the living.”</p><p>“Thanks, Kien,” Mayonaka said quietly as she lightly kissed his lips.  “I trust you completely.”</p><hr/><p>Mizuki couldn’t sleep at all the previous night.  She continued to have violent dreams about Demon World and that broken mirror that Jiro ordered Jake to acquire.  All she saw in her dreams was blood and corpses of the demons.  It was not a pretty sight to behold when you were just trying to get by the anniversary of your parents’ deaths.</p><p>She needed to stop worrying about Jiro and his schemes for the day.  Instead she had a brother and sister to look after.  Today was her day off since nothing was going on with their little group anyway.  Tristen and Kala would be up soon and she needed to do everything to distract them from the date.  She loved those kids and she didn’t like them mourning every year.  Their parents wouldn’t want this for them on this day for the rest of their lives.</p><p>“Morning Mimi!” Kala said as she ran into the kitchen.  Tristen, her twin brother, followed her in.  He had a smile on his face, though Mizuki could tell the boy was trying to mask his pain.  Despite being young when the attack happened, he recalled a lot of it, and made a point never to mention around his sister why their older sister was raising them.</p><p>“Good morning, you two,” Mizuki greeted, still trying to block out her dreams.  “I made you guys pancakes, and then we’re going to hit the amusement park.  What do you say?”</p><p>Tristen shrugged and nodded to her, smiling slightly, while Kala cheered excitedly.  “Oh, and by the way you two,” Mizuki spoke up again, “Happy Birthday.”</p><hr/><p>“Missing…what do you mean it’s missing?” Koenma screamed when his ogres reported the disappearance of the Forlorn Hope.</p><p>“Well, sir,” an ogre reported, “we were going to go clean the relics in the vault and found one of the three artifacts was missing.  The alarm hadn’t been tripped up.  It was just gone.”</p><p>Koenma sighed and shook his head.  He only knew of two demons alive that had broken into the vault before to steal those artifacts.  Unfortunately, he knew they would be less than thrilled being brought in for questioning.   “I hate to do this, but bring in Hiei and Kurama, and heck, bring in Kuronue too.  I need to ask them a few questions.”</p><hr/><p>“I’m going to kill him,” Hiei stated plainly as he, Kurama, and Kuronue were making their way through the halls of Koenma’s fortress.  “I’m just going to kill him whether he’s the king of Spirit World or not.”</p><p>“Hiei, be calm,” Kurama ordered.  “If you didn’t take it, you have nothing to fear.  He’s only doing this because we stole them before.”</p><p>“And he’s bringing me along for the ride because why?” Kuronue asked.  “I was thought to be dead then.”</p><p>“Because we had three of us then, and you are, like us, a former thief,” Kurama explained.  “He just needs to cover his bases.”</p><p>“Use the damn footage they have of everything in that place before making assumptions,” Hiei snapped.  “I do NOT want to deal with him right now.”</p><p>“Hiei, what’s wrong?” Kurama questioned.  “You’ve been acting more irritable than usual.  Is everything okay with the girls?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Kurama and Kuronue exchanged curious looks, but Hiei did not try to diffuse their curiosity.  Already at Koenma’s office, Hiei entered leaving his friends both concerned and confused.  Something had happened and the only ones Hiei dared to open up to were in Greece on a mission that the deity they were about to see forced them to take.  This meeting was not going to go well.</p><p>“Ah, Hiei,” Koenma greeted confidently.  He sifted through his paperwork, approving the requests he was presented with, marking them with his royal seal.  He wasn’t looking at Hiei when the fire demon made his way around the large desk and wrapped his bandaged hand around Koenma’s small throat.</p><p>“Hiei!” Kurama shouted in shock.  He and Kuronue quickly ran into the room, but Hiei held his other hand up.  They knew the fire demon was planning to attack them if they took another step.  Watching was all they could do as a dark flame surrounded Hiei’s fist waiting to be lost.</p><p>“I will say this once,” Hiei spat, his voice laced in venom.  “You’ve made too many bad calls.  You’ve sent Kaiya on some mission you don’t even know if she could complete.  Then you drag us here, away from training, to accuse us of stealing objects.  Yes, we may have stolen them before, but do you honestly think we’d be stupid enough to try again while Kaiya is fighting for us.  Check your damn video cameras.  Then question us.”</p><p>Hiei released Koenma, and the deity placed his hand on his neck.  He didn’t need to gasp much for air as Hiei hadn’t squeezed that hard.  It was the fire demon’s warning telling Koenma he was already on thin ice.  He would have told the demon that it was treason, but he did make a good point.  Maybe before he would interrogate them, he should watch the vault security footage.</p><p>“Ogre, bring me the vault tape from last night!” he called from his office.  Seconds later his usual ogre shadow entered with the tape.</p><p>“Here it is, sir,” he said handing it over.</p><p>Koenma moved to play the tape, and when the fuzz on the video cleared, they saw the untouched vault.  Ogres had made their rounds and left the vault unguarded as they exchanged shifts.  While they had their backs turned, someone in darkened clothes easily breaking into the vault.  Before the ogres came back, the being was already in the vault and removed his mask.</p><p>“I repeat,” Hiei growled at the Spirit World ruler, “I’m going to kill you, especially if anything happens to either Yukina or Kaiya.”  His eyes flared with hatred as he faced the deity.  “You let Jake escape, and he found a way back in.  You better find a way to fix this before Jiro even thinks about using that mirror.”</p><p>Hiei disappeared from the room and Koenma cringed under the accusing glares of the fox and bat demon.  Kuronue shook his head as Kurama’s hardened green eyes flashed gold.  Koenma knew that he caused a lot of problems for them in the past, but now, with everything going on, he couldn’t afford to lose them.</p><p>“I’ll get to work on this right away,” he said sincerely.  “Just make sure he doesn’t destroy anything.”</p><p>“Fine,” Kurama replied in a deep and dark voice.  Kuronue slightly smirked at the sound of Youko Kurama’s voice.  “But I agree with him.  If any harm comes to any of them, we will be coming for you.”</p><p>Kurama turned away from the Reikai ruler and Kuronue followed as they made it to a portal to return them home.  They hoped that they’d find Hiei in Kurama’s room ready to contact Kaiya instead of burning buildings in the city.  They were thankful to find him right where they hoped.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya was in a room of the large house that had been rented on the island of Crete.  She had already seen the rest of Kiense’s team.  Toshi was as comical as she remembered him after their whole first meeting.  The black-haired teenager had certainly grown sturdier since she had met him.  Suze was as bright as she always was with her short, golden hair and blue eyes, her refreshing attitude matching that brightness.  Kiri and Akio, the twins, looked a lot different than what she remembered of them.  The pigments of their purple hair and blue eyes became lighter on Kiri and darker on Akio, matching their attitudes.  When Kaiya had asked Mayonaka about it, she said something along the lines that since they were aging and were the two halves of the same power, one held the darker aspects of their power, and the other the lighter.</p><p>Everyone was so excited to be together again and to meet the other members of this thrown together team that Kiense’s team hadn’t met back during that first mission.  Kaiya slipped away to unpack in her room, but really she needed to avoid the scrutinizing eyes of her friends and relatives.  She was trying and struggling to get ahold of herself, and she was failing miserably.  How was she going to get through this mission?</p><p>As she unpacked her belongings, she noticed her cell plop down onto the bed and realized that she had yet to call Hiei like she promised she would.  She knew she’d better do that before she worried him too much.  She quickly grabbed the device, turning it on, so she could call Hiei.</p><p>The second she dialed… <em>“Kaiya!” </em>Hiei exclaimed into the phone as if he had been waiting by it.  <em>“Where the hell are you?”</em></p><p>Kaiya inaudibly chuckled, a ghost of a smile appearing on her face.  “Hey yourself, Hiei,” she teased lightly.  She already felt a little better hearing his voice.</p><p><em>“What took so long?” </em>Hiei snapped before Kaiya heard Kuronue yell in the background, <em>“Yeah, Kaiya…if you didn’t call him any sooner, Kurama’s room’d be toasted.”</em></p><p>“Sorry,” Kaiya muttered with humor in her voice.  “We just got to the rental house.  We met up with Kiense and Marrisa at a restaurant close to the airport, and I wasn’t thinking.  I forgot to turn on my phone.”</p><p><em>“I know, Kaiya,” </em>Hiei said in a surprisingly soft voice.</p><p>Kaiya was a little shocked by his change of attitude.  “Hiei, you okay?”</p><p><em>“Kaiya,</em>” he tried again, “<em>I </em>know.”</p><hr/><p><em>“W-What?” </em>he heard her stutter on the other line.  Kurama and Kuronue were staring at him questioningly, but he refused to meet their gazes as he spoke into the phone.</p><p>“Yeah,” he replied.  “When I told Bulma you left, she mentioned a fight with Vegeta, and I know what happened.  I know what you’re feeling.  You feel like you’ve done something wrong, don’t you?”</p><p><em>“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” </em>Kaiya voice said, starting to get upset.  He sighed, hoping she wouldn’t cry again, but he needed to bring it up so he could explain to her, yet again, she wasn’t at fault.</p><p>“You know that’s not true,” he assured her.  “I know you think Vegeta’s disappointed in you for you missing training, but he knows about the mission now.  You didn’t do anything wrong, okay.  It’s going to be fine, Kaiya.  You’re going to be okay, but you need to focus and not let this bother you.”</p><p><em>“What if you’re wrong?”</em> she asked sadly.  <em>“What if I’m just another disappointment to him?”</em></p><p>“I can’t speak for Vegeta,” Hiei admitted, “but you are NOT a disappointment and I don’t believe he sees you as such.  You’re letting Jiro’s words get to you again and applying them to now.  You can’t do that.  You need to focus and put this aside for now.  We can figure things out when you get back.”</p><p>He heard Kaiya laugh and felt hopeful.  <em>“You sound just like Alexia, you know,” </em>she replied.  A short sigh could be heard on her end.  <em>“I know I have to focus, especially since everyone can tell something is bothering me.”</em></p><p>Hiei didn’t like hearing that.  If everyone could tell she was upset, that would be horrible for her when facing the enemy.  “Don’t think about it for now,” Hiei ordered.  “Just forget it and get some rest, okay?”</p><p><em>“Okay,” </em>Kaiya agreed, much to his relief.</p><p>“Good,” he responded.  “I love you, onna.”</p><p>
  <em>“Love you too, koi.”</em>
</p><p>Hiei closed the cell phone and sighed in irritation, trying to reign in his frustration in all of this.  After cooling down, he thought about Vegeta and realized that the Saiyan probably thought he was still blaming him or that Kaiya was still upset with being hit.  Kaiya didn’t really care about the hit; it wasn’t a big deal after everything else she had been through.  She was just afraid of being seen as a disappointment in another relative’s eyes.  Where she was getting her fire back in dealing with Jiro, his words still affected her and probably would continue until either the human was dead or even once she talked to Vegeta.</p><p>Kurama cleared his throat, calling the fire demon’s attention to him.  Hiei gave the fox demon a death glare, questioning the scrutiny.  “I’m surprised how cool headed you were and that you expressed sentiment with us in the room,” he said sincerely.  “Usually you avoid public admittance.”</p><p>“She needed to hear it,” Hiei replied simply with a shrug.  “Tell the detective and you’re dead.  That goes for you too, bat.”</p><p>Both Kurama and Kuronue chuckled, knowing the threat was halfhearted.  The red-head stood up and took a few sheets from his closet.  “Well, I guess we have to set up the couch bed in the living room for you, Hiei, since Kuronue has the guest room.”</p><p>“No,” Hiei replied.  “I think I’m going to turn to my old sleep arrangements.”</p><p>“Which is?” Kuronue questioned.</p><p>Hiei flashed him another halfhearted glare before Kurama sighed.  The fire demon opened the window and disappeared outside.  When the two demons looked out the window, he was already lazing back with his eyes closed using a tree branch for his bed.  “Interesting arrangement,” Kuronue said to Kurama.</p><p>“Indeed,” the fox replied.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta entered the compound around three in the morning and made his way to the kitchen.  He fed himself quickly, knowing that there was more food since Kaiya was not there to feed on her share.  When he thought of his sister, the food began to leave a bitter taste in his mouth and he decided to be done with the food.</p><p>He found Bulma, asleep on the couch with her hair all over the place.  The light from the TV reflected off of her.  She didn’t continuously haunt him that day, which led Vegeta to believe that she was still angry with him.  The Saiyan didn’t care, though.  He had more important things to be worried about than a weak human being angry with him.  He had to worry about his sister staying angry with him.</p><p>If he could take his attack back, he knew he wouldn’t.  As he said earlier, the girl was too reckless with her own life.  He didn’t care what caused it.  If it was her naivety, she needed to grow up.  If it was her fears, she needed to move past them.  If it was like Hiei said and the girl was simply afraid to go against how she was raised, they would need to work on it together.  But she needed a wakeup call and she needed it now.  If he could easily attack while he was trying not to harm her, her enemies would do much, much worse.</p><p>Still, he did wish she would have told him about the mission.  He would have been a little more lenient on her, maybe, but instead she made it sound like she was going on some random three week trip out of nowhere.  Vegeta didn’t understand what he purpose was in keeping the truth from him.</p><p>He considered poking through her thoughts, but since he was unsuccessful earlier in the day do to her forced mental block, he couldn’t.  Part of him wish he knew how to do that so that his thoughts would not be an open book to his sister.  This connection was a hassle to deal with.  Still, it couldn’t hurt to try again.</p><p>This time it worked.  Her mental block was down.  Vegeta assumed it was due to her being asleep, but the thoughts that cycled through her head told him she was awake but that the mental strain of keeping her mind blocked was too taxing.  He tried mentally nudging her mind, but he had no idea what he was doing.  Kaiya had to have sensed him there by now.  She was ignoring him, which angered him greatly. Then something happened that explained her behavior.  He could hear the conversation around her.</p><p><em>“She looks catatonic right now,” </em>a male voice said.</p><p><em>“Yeah, that’s my cousin,” </em>he heard a female reply.  It sounded like that Alexia girl he had met.</p><p>
  <em>“So what happens if she stays like this?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Eh, don’t worry; she’ll fall asleep soon.  She’s just lost in thought.  It’s happened before.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why isn’t that making me feel any better?”</em>
</p><p>Alexia sighed.  <em>“Kiense, I’m going to tell you this and you better not say anything to the others.  It’s kind of an invasion of Kaiya’s privacy, and mine to be honest, but it’s something to do with our past…those classes.”</em></p><p>Vegeta’s expression darkened when he thought about the “classes” his sister had been forced to take on Frieza’s orders.  He was surprised his sister was not responsive at all to the words being spoken around her.  Her cousin and this Kiense guy were discussing it right in front of her, and she wasn’t doing or saying anything.</p><p>
  <em>“I swear I won’t tell, Lexi.  Not even Maya.  What’s wrong with Kaiya?”</em>
</p><p><em>“Okay,” </em>Alexia breathed.  <em>“Our friends know that we were trained to fight each other.  Really, it’s deeper than that.  Two people were assigned as training partners or whatever, but eventually, they’d have to fight it out and the strongest of the pair would have to defeat and kill the other.  We didn’t know we were cousins back then, so it was easy for me to stay detached from her, but she refused to disregard me so easily.</em></p><p>
  <em>“We got ourselves into a lot of trouble, her more than me.  One time, I did something I really shouldn’t have done, and she took the fall for it.  That was before she disappeared.  I would bet my life on saying that her punishment was becoming Frieza’s experiment.  I mean, how else do you explain it?”</em>
</p><p><em>“I still don’t get the whole thing,” </em>Kiense told her.  <em>“Maya tried to tell me, but I didn’t get it.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Kaiya’s memories were blocked, but when she came back, she was a whole different person.  Something happened to her.  Sure, she was still softhearted, but she was more closed off.  There were times where before we had a case, she’s zone out just like this.  Eventually, we as training partners became spy partners as well.  I got to know her better than anyone else there.  I knew when he mind was going somewhere before we prepped for the mission.”</em>
</p><p><em>“Do you think it was her trying to remember?” </em>Kiense asked.  Vegeta glared questioningly at the question being asked.</p><p><em>“No,” </em>Alexia admitted.  <em>“If she were simply trying to remember her time with Frieza…she already has the memories back now.  That’s not it.  I know that sometimes battles replay themselves in her head, but then she’d be fighting or a little more responsive.  I think something else happened to her that her body remembers, and these spy missions just remind her of it.  That’s why this mission made me so hesitant.  And that’s a completely separate issue from what was bugging her today.”</em></p><p><em>“Yeah, I know,” </em>Kiense nearly exclaimed.  <em>“Alexia, what was going on today?  She was acting completely introverted and distant.  I’ve never seen her like that, not even the day I was brought back from that other dimension.  What happened?”</em></p><p><em>“I don’t know,” </em>Alexia replied.  <em>“But I do know this.  Something happened between her and her brother.  I mentioned him and she completely shut down.  Then she said he didn’t need another disappointment in his life and walked away.  I have no idea what happened last night, but whatever it was, I told her she needs to bottle it so we can make it through this mission with our lives intact.”</em></p><p>Kaiya seemed to rouse after that and Vegeta could sense her confusion having been, as Alexia said, catatonic throughout that whole conversation.  Immediately the barrier went back up now that she had control of herself.  Vegeta didn’t even realize that his mouth was agape and he was clutching to the top of the sofa.  His sister thought she was a disappointment to him?  That he didn’t need her?  Obviously that wasn’t true or else he would have never come back to the planet.  The hit was a warning, as well as a minor punishment for her recklessness, but he wasn’t disappointed in her.  He was just as reckless at times, although he could afford to be.</p><p>He realized that Hiei was right as far as the way Kaiya was raised and how she thought.  Vegeta never looked at it from the perspective before.  All he saw when he looked at her was another Saiyan, his sister, and he treated her as a fellow Saiyan and not just some science experiment.  But there were times, he was noticing, that he had to treat her like an Earthling as well.  He didn’t like it, more so because he despised the majority of the Earthlings already.  He only tolerated Kaiya’s friends, and even tolerated Bulma and her family.  The only Earthling he cared about fully was Kaiya.  Everything else was out of some sort of obligation he felt because of her.  It was proving to be troublesome for the Saiyan prince.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: I feel like putting an A/N in here since I’m bringing back all my OCs from the previous stories.  This is a reminder that this is the fourth story in a larger series.  I will admit that the writing in this story is significantly better than the first few, especially since they were some of my first stories in writing fanfiction (actually Power Struggle was).</p><p>Kaiya and Mayonaka are OCs from the first story Power Struggle.  Other OCs are mentioned occasionally from this story.  This was the first story in the series introducing a few girls with psychic abilities to the world of demons.  The twin sisters are currently twenty-one years old in the series, which means it is three years since they started in their journey.</p><p>Kiense and his team which includes Marissa, Toshi, Suze, Akio, and Kiri, and also Mayonaka which caused problems and unnecessary drama.  The characters’ abilities will be mentioned soon enough as the mission plays out.  As far as ages go, it has been roughly two years in the story since they first appeared.  Kiense is a demon, so age with him is irrelevant.  At this time, Marissa is 18 years old, where Toshi is 17 years old.  The two of them are a sort of couple.  Suze is currently 15 years old and the twins are 12.</p><p>Alexia was a character that was added after the Jiro conflict in the third story of the series, The Hunted.  This is where the demon hunters come into play.  The two characters usually mentioned from this series are Kagami, though she has been referred to simply as Kaiya’s other, and Nariko, he cousin.  Nariko was the cousin who had dated the faithful servant of Jiro, though neither had known about Kaiya being related to his master until Nariko misguidedly told him absolutely everything she overheard when Kaiya explained to her mother what had happened to Jiro.</p><p>The new OCs added in the present story in the series, Sibling Ties, would be the young girl Mizuki and her siblings.  The changes from DBZ canon are Kaiya being Vegeta’s sister (obviously), but also ages.  I will not list all of the ages as I hadn’t decided on much more than Vegeta being 27 instead of in his thirties based on the ages he and Kaiya were when they met and the gap in between.  The Saiyan prince is still older than Goku and Bulma like in canon, but what their ages are sort of irrelevant at this point and will be determined later if at all.</p><p>This guide should be a little bit more helpful, and to see more on these characters, the stories are somewhere on the profile XD  I did this more for my benefit as well as an explanation since it has been four years since I started this series.  It was hard to remember when there were years between the stories XD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 14 - Back on Track</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just OCs…this is repetitive -_-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya woke up the next morning, sunlight hitting her face.  Blinking a few times, she sat up and rubbed the remainder of sleep from her eyes.  She let out one last yawn before looking around her, remembering the task at hand.  After a good night’s rest, she was surprised that she felt so…light.</p><p>“Maybe I really did need to get some rest,” she muttered to herself.  “That damned emotional side of the brain.”  She thought about the day before and shook her head.  Now that she had had a sufficient amount of sleep, her rational mind was back in control.  “What the hell was I thinking?”</p><p>A knock on her door stopped her from thinking about her misplaced thoughts.  She didn’t respond, but Alexia entered anyway.  Kaiya glared slightly at her before sarcastically saying, “Come in.”</p><p>“Gladly,” Alexia said calmly, though shocked by Kaiya’s attitude.  “Look, I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.  Are you okay?  I mean, you were upset about something with Vegeta.  Everything okay with him?”</p><p>“It’s fine, Lexi,” Kaiya replied under her breath.  “I just overreacted again, like all the other times I don’t get enough sleep and stupid drama happens.”</p><p>“Not sleeping?” Alexia asked, stunned.  “Are you serious, Kaiya?  Again?”</p><p>“I said again, did I not?” the girl replied with a sigh.  She pushed her bangs from her face.  “I’ve been having nightmares lately,” she admitted, though she wasn’t going to mention hers and Vegeta’s telepathic connection.  “It’s been building up, so I was highly emotional, and I kind of got into an argument with Vegeta.  He doesn’t know I’m on a mission.  I just told him I was hanging out with you and the girls.”</p><p>“O…kay?” Alexia responded, not sure of what that had to do with anything.  “Anyways, is that why you were zoned out last night?”</p><p>Kaiya paused and felt like all time stopped around her.  “I did what now?” she asked hesitantly.</p><p>Alexia stared at her strangely.  “You…you zoned out,” Alexia told her.  “When Kiense and I were in the room, talking about you.  You snapped out of it and then sort of passed out.  What happened?  Did it have to do with your past memories?”</p><p>“N-n-no,” Kaiya answered.  “I, that no longer happens with my memories.  I have full access to them.  I shouldn’t be zoning out.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Alexia pressed.  “I mean, it was traumatic, so maybe you don’t remember everything.”</p><p>“No, I do,” Kaiya nearly exclaimed.  “I remember everything that happened before I went to class, and then waking up in Vegeta’s room and everything with Frieza.  Everything.”</p><p>“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Alexia exclaimed.  “You don’t remember anything in between that time?”</p><p>“I was unconscious!” Kaiya shouted.  “What am I supposed to remember?”</p><p>“Were you?”</p><p>Those two words made Kaiya feel slightly dizzy.  Part of her was trying to think back to that period of time, and it did not feel good.  Whatever it was, something was wrong with that small lapse in time.  She needed to shrug it off now.  “It’s not important,” she attempt to assure her cousin.  Unfortunately, Alexia did not buy it.</p><p>“It happens every time we have a mission,” she said in alarm as Kaiya was about to leave the room.</p><p>The young Saiyan/demon hybrid froze, her hand barely touching the doorknob.  Hearing the word mission seemed to irritate her all of a sudden.  She shook her head once more before turning to her cousin.  “Really, Lexi, it’s nothing,” she lied before going in search of a Saiyan-sized breakfast.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta took back to intense training like a fish to water.  He hadn’t stopped his intense training, but he allowed more distractions.  Not today, though, as he shot his ki blasts at the training bots Bulma had fixed.  No, today the Saiyan prince was in a particularly bad mood.  Being disturbed by his sister’s thoughts was bothersome, and Vegeta found himself caring more than he should about the mysteries that seemed to surround the girl.  But right now, he couldn’t worry about it.  He had goals to meets: become Super Saiyan, defeat Kakarot, kill Jiro, and possibly stay on the planet, but he hadn’t worked that out yet.  He’d see once the first three goals were met.</p><p>As he dodged his own blasts at heightened gravity, he smirked.  He was getting faster, and the gravity was already set to more than 350G’s.  <em>Take that, Kakarot, </em>he taunted mentally.  He wished the younger Saiyan was around to hear him gloating, but it was enough to know that he was starting to close in on his rival.  He would become a Super Saiyan, or he would die trying.</p><p>He grimaced as thoughts of his sister entered his mind again.  He scolded himself when he narrowly dodged another blast.  Sending purple energy waves at the bots surrounding him, he knocked them to the ground and then ended the simulation.  Just in time too as his stomach growled alerting him to hunger.  He had already been in there since the night before.  A small break was welcomed.</p><p>Entering the kitchen, he found Bulma flipping through yet another science magazine.  She always seemed to glance at those when they came in the mail.  The prince rolled his eyes and made his way to the refrigerator.  Neither of the two present in the kitchen said anything as Vegeta started eating leftovers from the fridge.</p><p>“Break anymore bots?” Bulma questioned before flipping a page.</p><p>“Hmph,” Vegeta grunted, taking a bite out of a cold chicken leg.</p><p>“I’ll take that as a ‘not yet,’” Bulma joked bitterly.  “I’m heading out today, so if you break any of your toys, you’ll have to wait.”</p><p>Vegeta just walked back outside, not even giving her any kind of response.  He wasn’t going to fall for her guilt tactics.  She was mad at him, he knew, for upsetting his own sister.  Everyone was overreacting, and part of Vegeta felt that even Kaiya knew that herself.  After this ridiculous mission assigned to her was over, he was getting her back into training whether she liked it or not, and he would continue with the same methods regardless.  She had to learn one way or another.  She was raised Earthling, but she was still partly a Saiyan.  She would learn the Saiyan way.  She could do whatever she wanted with it after.</p><p>And he was thinking about it again, which angered him greatly.  Well, no matter, another ten hours of unbroken training and it would be out of his system, he hoped.</p><hr/><p>“So, she’s doing better I take it?” Yusuke carefully asked his fire demon friend.</p><p>“Yes, detective,” Hiei replied in frustration.  “She’ll be fine, no thanks to her brother.”</p><p>“Oh come on, Hiei,” Kuronue retorted.  “You know you weren’t always so mellow around her.  I seem to remember hearing stories of you trying to fight her on many occasions.”</p><p>Hiei scowled at the bat demon.  He had obviously said something wrong.  Kurama flashed his friend a warning look.  The fox knew more about the fights than Kuronue did and attacking Hiei about them was not a wise move.</p><p>“It was for communication purposes only,” Hiei replied with a shrug.  “They were mutual fights.”</p><p>“Like the first fight between you two where she was covered in cuts and bruises?” Yusuke teased lightly.  “Come on, Hiei, admit it.  Maybe, on some level, Vegeta was trying to communicate with her too.  I mean, she has been sort of closed off lately, right?”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  Of course the idiot would see it that way, because Kaiya was keeping matters where they should be, between her and Vegeta, and when Vegeta wasn’t around, she vented only to him about her visions and her fears.  She wasn’t planning on going to anyone else in their group.  They wouldn’t understand, anyway.  Besides, Hiei wasn’t pissed off about the disagreement, but by whatever was said to cause Kaiya to have that misplaced fear of rejection after she had seemingly gotten over it.</p><p>“Whatever,” came the fire demon’s reply.  He wished he could disagree with Yusuke, but he couldn’t.  He was more concerned about Kaiya’s mental health and what she needed to hear than actually thinking on what exactly happened.  He was a demon ruled by his own anger issues, and quickly settled on rage than any other emotion at times.  His past victims would be able to vouch for that…if they were alive that is.</p><p>“We should start training,” Kurama suggested.  “We have a lot riding on the tournament this year.”</p><p>“Don’t remind me,” Hiei muttered.  He didn’t need to be reminded of all the craziness Spirit World launched them into, especially when his girlfriend was thousands of miles away trying her hand at yet another seemingly impossible case.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya was ready to leave the rented house they were in as soon as she was done eating breakfast.  She did not know why she felt irritable, nor did she understand why she was feeling the sensation of her blood pumping.  It was almost like she wanted to hit something, really hard, and keep hitting it until the feeling went away.  Well, she knew she was prone to mood swings when she was upset about something, so for now she planned to ignore it.  Instead, they needed to plan out how they were going about this mission.</p><p>Koenma gave limited information on their target, but they already knew they were dealing with another demon hunter.  They had no idea what kind of powers he, or whatever followers he amassed, had.  It was like when they were sent after Alternate Kiense all over again, except they had known he was a fire demon.</p><p>“So where should we start?” Kiense questioned.  “I mean, I’m new to this, really.  What should we do?”</p><p>“When our friends had to go after your counterpart,” Kaiya started calmly, “we did recon first.  Looking around the different towns for answers.  We should be able to do that again.  It’s only one town, and there are plenty of us.”</p><p>“That’s a good start,” Shizuru said, “but what should we do about groupings?”  She looked over to Yukina and Botan.  “Not everyone here is a fighter.”</p><p>Botan caught on to what she was trying to say.  “Oh Shizuru, don’t worry about us,” Botan chimed.  “I’ve been on plenty of missions with the boys.  It’s not that difficult.”</p><p>“Until we get to the actual fighting,” Alexia pointed out.  “But like Kaiya said, we do recon first.  It’s the safest.  Besides, she can sense energy now.  If she senses any elevated energy levels or whatever they’re called, then that will narrow our search down even more.”</p><p>“I agree with all of this,” Marissa said, “but I don’t like the idea of Suze joining us.”</p><p>“Aw, why?” the teenaged girl asked.  After getting a stern look from her friends, she sighed.  “I could always look after the place, if Toshi stays with me.”</p><p>“Way to throw me under the bus,” the boy grumbled.  “Anyways, I have a suggestion first.  You girls aren’t seriously planning on wearing those clothes, are you?  You’re going to stand out.”</p><p>Kaiya and Alexia were taken aback.  Both of them were wearing some type of uniform that looked like they had gotten out of a class at a dojo.  Yukina and Botan had their kimonos.  Shizuru had her street clothes.  Then they looked over to Marissa and Mayonaka who were wearing more summertime style sundresses.</p><p>“What do you propose?” Alexia bit back.</p><p>Toshi smirked and looked to Kiense.  “I say we take the girls shopping for more appropriate clothes for ‘recon.’”</p><p>Kaiya’s eyes narrowed at her sister’s friend.  “Why am I already dreading this?”</p><hr/><p>“This has got to be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” Kuwabara chuckled.</p><p>“Say another word, and I kill you,” Kaiya uncharacteristically grumbled.</p><p>This caused their large group to break out in laughs.  Kaiya rolled as her eyes at her friends before looking at herself in the mirror.  Now she knew how Vegeta felt when Bulma left him the pink shirt.  She was being forced to model a pink dress that Mayonaka had picked out.</p><p>“Come on, sis,” Mayonaka whined.  “You look good in that dress.”</p><p>“I am not leaving walking out of this store looking like this,” Kaiya retorted.  “It’s bad enough I hate dresses, but it has to be <em>pink</em>?”</p><p>“No,” Alexia said between giggles.  She handed Kaiya a pure white dress.  “Try this one, Kaiya.  I think you’ll like it better.”</p><p>The irritated girl snatched the dress from her cousin while muttering stuff under her breath.  Everyone had to bite their lip to refrain from laughing and setting the girl off more.  The pink dress was thrown over the door before Kaiya came out in the white dress.</p><p>“Okay,” Toshi teased, “we’re a go.  The pink dress was better, though.”</p><p>“Let’s just get out there,” Kaiya growled.  She really wanted to get this mission over with.  She really hoped it wouldn’t take too long to get information.</p><hr/><p>Hiei, Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuronue were having a battle royale in the back of Genkai’s temple.  They were fairly close to the forest’s edge as they hit each other with their energy attacks, and weapons in Hiei’s and Kurama’s case.  Yusuke and Kuronue focused on each other as Hiei and Kurama started their own battle.  Kurama used his rose whip to attack Hiei, but the fire demon deflected it with his katana before shooting out flames from his left hands.  Kurama narrowly dodged his counterattack, but he did manage to catch Hiei off-guard and trap him with the vines that crawled up the trunks of trees.</p><p>“Gah!” Hiei called out in shock.  He shot a glare at Kurama.  “Seriously?”</p><p>Kurama simply smiled at him.  “It appears I am the winner here, Hiei.”</p><p>Hiei refused to accept being beaten by a cheap trick.  “No,” he growled before smirking.  It was time to reveal some of the things he learned from training with Vegeta the last few weeks.</p><p>Yusuke and Kuronue stopped fighting when the felt the ground beneath them shaking.  Leaves began to fall from the trees, surrounding the fighters, but were incinerated as they touched the red aura appearing around Hiei.  Kurama readied his whip again, deciding to stay on the defensive as the red light around Hiei started ripping the vines.  The other two fighters watched in stunned silence as Hiei broke free, overcoming Kurama’s demon energy with an energy they couldn’t quite place.  It was different from both demon and spirit energy, and even the Sacred Energy a former enemy had assaulted them with.</p><p>“W-what’s going on?” Yusuke asked Kuronue.  The half-demon hoped that a demon who had been around for centuries would know a little more about this, though after seeing the look on Kurama’s face when he had been around even longer, he doubted any of them knew.</p><p>After Hiei broke free, he couldn’t help but smirk at the confused expression the fox demon wore.  It was always a challenge to stump him with his thousand years of experience.  The fire demon took advantage of the confusion and flash-stepped behind his friend, using his red ki to gently knock the demon over.  Kurama tilted his head slightly, and saw the blade of Hiei’s katana.</p><p>“And I believe you spoke too soon, fox,” he said arrogantly before removing his sword from Kurama’s neck.</p><p>Kurama chuckled slightly.  “I believe you are right, Hiei,” he agreed.  “But what was that.  I’ve never seen energy like it.  I couldn’t even feel it.”</p><p>Hiei waited for Kurama to get off of the ground before answering.  “It’s ki,” Hiei told him.  “Life energy.  All living things have access to it, though not everyone can use it.”</p><p>“So that’s the energy Kaiya meant that we couldn’t sense from that Frieza guy,” Yusuke pondered as he walked over.  “But how do you know how to use it.”</p><p>“Training with Vegeta,” Hiei explained.  “Ki has more power than spirit <em>and </em>demon energy.  They have more limits than life energy.”</p><p>“That’s sick!” Yusuke exclaimed in excitement.  “Wait, so Vegeta taught you how to use it, right?”  Hiei responded with a nod.</p><p>“Then I think we should try to learn to use it as well,” Kuronue stated.  “Anything to give us an edge in the tournament.”</p><p>“Agreed,” said Kurama as he dusted himself off.</p><p>“Um, excuse me…”</p><p>The four fighters froze and turned to see a teenaged girl carrying a younger girl and holding the hand of a little boy.  It was easy to see that they were all related as they shared dark violet hair and amber eyes.</p><p>“Who the hell are you?” Hiei asked dangerously.  He sensed out the eldest’s energy and found that it felt familiar to him.  The young boy looked like he wanted to attack, but the older woman squeezed his hand in warning.  The little girl in her arms hid her face in the older woman’s neck.</p><p>“Can you please not scare my siblings?” Mizuki said.  She swallowed when Hiei’s glare darkened and the other three did not look any more welcoming.  It made her wonder why she was doing this.  The demon hunter had been planning on waiting before coming here, but in light of recent conversations she overheard, she had no choice.  She knew, if she didn’t get her and her siblings out of her house, that they’d be dead sooner rather than later.  Jiro was coming after her, and she knew she needed to keep them safe.</p><p>“My name is Mizuki,” she told them.  “These are my younger siblings, Kala and Tristen.  I…I was a demon hunter, but I can’t do it anymore.  I…we need your help.”</p><p>“And why should we help you?” Yusuke questioned.</p><p>“Because I have information that could save your lives,” Mizuki offered.  She took a deep breath and got ready to make her next move.  “Jiro is planning on attacking during the Demon World Tournament.  The Forlorn Hope is a backup.”</p><p>When she saw four pairs of wide eyes looking at each other in question, and then the red-haired demon nod, she felt a wave of relief.  Kurama walked over to her and said, “We will let you stay, but don’t think for an instant that that means we trust you.  As for your siblings, no matter what, we’ll make sure they’re safe.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Mizuki whispered.  <em>Because other than me, they have no one else.</em></p><p>“We better let Genkai know about the new arrivals,” Kuronue suggested.  “In the meantime, we better warn the others.”</p><p>“Right,” Yusuke spoke up.  “I don’t trust him with that mirror, especially after he hurt-“  After receiving a glare from Hiei daring him to continue, he laughed nervously and said, “I mean after what he’s done in the past.”</p><p>“It’s no secret,” Mizuki said with a frown, “what he did to his…his daughter.  I didn’t know before joining.  I never knew what kind of freaky club I was joining until I heard him and Jake bragging about all the stuff they pulled on your group, as well as sensing a few other things.”</p><p>“If you didn’t join to follow their methods, why did you?” Kurama interrogated.</p><p>“Not all demons are bad,” she said setting Kala down, “but there are some that are, like the ones that attacked us when we were younger.  I joined to protect my family, not to destroy another group of protectors who fight the evil demons.”</p><p>“Even if we were to believe your story,” Hiei started, “you are still the enemy.  You were one of the ones that brought him back with the Dragon Balls.”</p><p>“W-WHAT?” Yusuke exclaimed.  “Hiei, how do you know that?”</p><p>Hiei didn’t have to answer because Mizuki was willing to confess.  “Yes, but in my defense, it was all Jake’s idea.  He knew about the Dragon Ball legend.  He didn’t even know anyone else was familiar with it.  I didn’t know either until he told me.  Then Jiro announced that he always knew and purposefully left it behind so that one of the demon hunters would find it.”</p><p>“If he knew, why didn’t he go after them before?” Kurama wondered out loud.  “It would have been easy for him, I would assume.”</p><p>Mizuki shrugged.  “He said someone else was after them all the time and he didn’t want to get involved.”</p><p>“Hn, coward,” Hiei scoffed, though he sounded amused.  “I know why he wouldn’t go after them.”</p><p>“Planning on sharing?” Yusuke asked in irritation.</p><p>“No,” Hiei replied, knowing it had to do with Bulma’s and Goku’s past adventures.  “I’ll be in my tree.”</p><p>“Wah?” Yusuke managed to speak out before Hiei raced past them and the rustling of trees was heard.  “Damn it, just when we need him to talk.  Where’s Kaiya when you need her?”</p><p>Kuronue and Kurama chuckled, ignoring the confused stares of the small family in front of them.</p><p>“Mimi,” Tristen spoke up, “things just got really weird.”</p><p>“You have no idea, little bro, no idea.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 15 - Changed Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He knew he was trapped in another nightmare.  Whether it came from his own mind or Kaiya’s, Vegeta had no idea.  He was surrounded by many colors, a backdrop for whatever this place was.  There was no way this came from his mind.</p><p>Vegeta decided to investigate, assuming he’d come across a stray thought or scene from his sister’s mind.  If he was trapped there for the night, he might as well.  He continued to walk around the colorful prison.  No one was around.  That couldn’t be right.  He continued to hear the sounds of battle cries, grunts, and screams.  Someone had to be around somewhere.</p><p>He turned a corner between rainbow rocks, his hand touching the stone surface as he rounded the pillar-shaped mass.  What he saw surprised him.  Whatever this place was wasn’t from Kaiya’s mind.  It was from his.</p><p>There he was, high in the sky, fighting with some misshapen shadow.  The red, glowing eyes reminded him of Frieza.  Vegeta scoffed at his own subconscious.  The tyrant was dead.  This dream was irrelevant to the real world.  Upon that realization, he was about to leave the battle site until he heard the shadow’s voice.</p><p><em>“You betrayed me, Vegeta,” </em>the voice of his dead comrade, Nappa, spat.</p><p>Vegeta stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide.  He had put that day behind him, not caring that he had ended the life of the former Saiyan general.  There was no way he was giving this day a second thought.  It definitely had to be coming from Kaiya.  Even hearing the shadow’s voice screaming insults at him, Vegeta shrugged it off and continued to walk around.  He felt no guilt or remorse having killed Nappa for his weakness and foolishness.   The big oaf had it coming.</p><p>As he continued to travel the mountainous plains, Vegeta heard muffled voices, nothing coming through to him as distinguished speech.  Bright lights started randomly flashing, causing the prince to see spots before he was transported elsewhere, by some random lake in the middle of nowhere.  <em>Yes, definitely Kaiya’s thoughts.</em></p><p>And he was right.  As soon as he saw a younger version of Kaiya, he quirked an eyebrow.  Whatever was going on, he wasn’t sure what killing Nappa had to do with it.  Maybe it was just a fleeting thought Kaiya refused to ask him about.  The prince had assumed the girl had been curious since, at one time, they had been so close.</p><p>Vegeta shook his head.  When were these dreams and connections going to make sense?  Out of nowhere, the young version of Kaiya plopped down onto the ground, lying back on the fresh grass.  It was a peaceful setting, and then it changed once more to a darkened room.  Kaiya sat up then, alarmed by the change in scenery.</p><p><em>“Everything is your fault,” </em>a dark voice said.  <em>“It is all your fault.”</em></p><p><em>“Huh?” </em>the younger girl questioned, wrapping her arms around herself.  <em>“W-who’s there?”</em></p><p>The area surrounding them became pitch-black, and even Vegeta could not see anything play out.  It reminded him of that chamber Frieza had locked him in as punishment.  This was putting Vegeta slightly on edge, but then he remembered it was Kaiya’s nightmare, and not his own.  Somehow this was all factoring in with her own fears.  Sounds of thunder boomed around him as streaks of lightning occasionally lit up the darkened space.</p><p><em>“You are nothing but a problem,” </em>the voice came in clearer, though not enough to determine who it was.  <em>“You are a traitor, a waste of space.  The problems they had, their deaths, all because of you.”</em></p><p><em>“No,” </em>the little girl whimpered.  <em>“No, it’s not true.”</em></p><p><em>“All you ever were was collateral damage that somehow managed to hang on,” </em>the voice growled, <em>“even after your death.”</em></p><p><em>“I…I wasn’t supposed to die,” </em>Kaiya voiced.  <em>“Me coming back was nature’s way of saying it wasn’t my time yet.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“You were never meant to exist,” the voice said, and now Vegeta could tell who it was.  “Neither you nor your sister.  I will correct my mistakes.”</em>
</p><p>Vegeta, already furious, was clenching his fists and getting into a fighting stance.  He couldn’t see anything, but he knew if Jiro showed up, even in this dream world, he would strangle the life from him.  Anything was better than listening to his cowardly attacks.</p><p>More crashes of lightning surrounded the two Saiyans, and he heard the young version of Kaiya scream.  Jiro’s sinister laughs could be heard.  Even the sound of his laugh was annoying to Vegeta.  Seriously, where was this dream Jiro?  He wanted to bash his face in, maybe torture him a little bit before killing him the same way Frieza had him.  Vegeta growled at his thoughts.  He hated that he was killed by a mere blast and not a warrior’s death.</p><p><em>“This lightning,” </em>Jiro said bringing Vegeta’s attention back to him, <em>“has served me well.  It ended you, it could harm your sister with her water powers, and it will be what I use to eliminate what’s left of that monkey race.  I’ll do that before or after I eliminate those demon friends of yours.”</em></p><p><em>“No!” </em>Kaiya screamed, standing up and ready to fight, her age increasing a bit in this dream world.  <em>“I won’t let you.  This conflict ends with you and me.  Leave them out of this.”</em></p><p><em>“Oh, I would, daughter, but there are more important things to worry about.  I won’t tolerate you rebelling against me anymore!”  </em>A large gust of wind pushed Kaiya back, and startled Vegeta though he was able to stand his ground.  <em>“Though who knows?  Maybe I won’t even be the one to end you.  Thanks to you, that idiotic prince lost his sanity in a room just like this.  He killed one of his own.  Maybe he’ll kill you too.”</em></p><p>“That is the biggest load of bullshit I’ve heard in my entire life,” Vegeta snapped, calling attention to himself for the first time in this dream world.</p><p><em>“Well, well, well,” </em>Jiro’s sickeningly sweet voice chimed, <em>“look who managed to intercept my message.  Again I state you are very idiotic.  You shouldn’t be here.”</em></p><p>Vegeta scoffed and looked over to Kaiya, meeting her fearful eyes.  She looked to be the right age now, but she still had the look of sheer panic that the scared little girl shared moments ago.  Jiro’s laughs echoed around them again before Vegeta remembered the crap that had caused him to reveal himself.</p><p>“You’re the idiot if you honestly think you can convince her that I would kill her,” Vegeta stated, crossing his arms.  “You, on the other hand…you are a different story all together.”</p><p>Jiro chuckled and responded with, <em>“Now, now…this is only a game, Saiyan.  If you attack me here, it won’t do anything to me in the real world.  Kaiya could tell you a lot more about that, can’t you daughter?”</em></p><p><em>“Stop calling me that,” </em>Kaiya ordered, though her voice was soft and meek.  Where was the spitfire she was becoming before this whole case thing had started, Vegeta wondered.  <em>“And Vegeta’s right.  I know he won’t kill me.”  </em>She looked over to Vegeta and flashed him a small smile.  Vegeta returned her smile with a smirk.  Good, it seemed like she was over what happened.  Humans and their stupid emotions…she must have just been oversensitive that day.  Kaiya’s smile then turned into a frown and she turned back to Jiro.  <em>“Now tell me what you meant when you said you’d be going after my friends.”</em></p><p>Jiro grinned in amusement.  His smug face irritated the Saiyan prince.  Someone so weak and cowardly shouldn’t be that cocky.  So what if he had his little lightning show?  That wouldn’t be enough to kill any of the living Saiyans.  They had been hit with much worse.</p><p><em>“All in good time, Kaiya,” </em>he returned.  <em>“All in good time.  Besides, you should know a good villain never reveals his plans before he even begins to implement them.  The only thing I’ll say is ‘your days are numbered.’  Oh, and good luck on the mission.  It’ll be interesting to see what you can do.”</em></p><p>All of a sudden, Vegeta shot out of bed, awake.  He had been ready to pounce on the illusion of Jiro in that instant, but it seemed the dream was over.  The prince heard a scoff as if someone was mocking his thought and turned to see Hiei sitting in his opened window.</p><p>“If you thought that was a dream, you really are an idiot,” Hiei said in amusement.</p><p>Vegeta glared at the fire demon’s insult.  He didn’t grace him with a response, though.  There was no need to say anything about the dream message or whatever it was.  “What are you doing here?” Vegeta questioned.  “I thought you couldn’t stand to be here.”</p><p>It was Hiei’s turn to glare before he “hn’ed” and looked back out the window.  Though he hadn’t been angry with the Saiyan, he decided not to clue him into what had really been going on.  “I will not apologize,” he said to Vegeta.  “Kaiya is my concern, not you.  I did not like that she was upset or that you were the reason.  If you’d have seen ALL the things we went through, you would know why I was infuriated.  She’s obviously over it now.  It’s time to move on.”</p><p>“Agreed,” Vegeta muttered.  “You haven’t answered my question.”</p><p>Hiei sighed in frustration.  “I’ll run, you fly.  We need to get to Genkai’s and then everything, including that damned message will be explained.”</p><p>Vegeta nodded as Hiei disappeared from his window.  Taking off to the skies and following the blur that was Hiei, Vegeta rolled his eyes and passed him, remembering exactly how to get to the temple in the mountains.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya woke up with a huge migraine having her mind invaded like she had.  Jiro chose now to contact her again, and it irritated her to no end that he was trying to turn her against Vegeta.  He was a first class moron if he thought he could use her to take down her brother.  Firstly, she wouldn’t be able to touch him, and secondly, she wouldn’t fight him even if her life depended on it.</p><p>And not only that, but he threatened everyone: all of her friends, her sister, anyone who had Saiyan blood.  He also used her memories of Vegeta’s memories against her, twisting them in his own way.  Did he not expect her to get angry and defiant?  It was like day one of her mission all over again, acting like a scared little girl at first before allowing her Saiyan side to take over, though in the dream she truly felt like a scared little girl until he started flinging threats.</p><p>Speaking of the mission, she was tired of it already.  Earlier that day, her and the girls played the fool and pretended to flirt with a few guys they had sensed had heightened spirit energy.  Of course the guys sensed their spirit energy too and tried to lead them to their headquarters.  Well, now those guys were unconscious somewhere and, later that day, the group would investigate the first hideout of this demon hunting sect.</p><p>Well, she was awake now, so her day was starting way earlier than the rest of the group.  She woke up in the middle of a storm too, which meant two things: one, she had a few hours to calm her jitters before going out in the storm (the storm was not helping her jitters in the slightest), and two, Mayonaka would not be able to leave the house.  With her water powers, she was like a giant lightning rod.  Kaiya knew Jiro said something similar about Saiyans, but she wasn’t worried about that.  She had already experienced the worst of it before.</p><p>The one good thing that came out of the message was that somehow Vegeta had been included.  She hadn’t spoken to him since she abruptly left, or actually since after their disagreement.  She didn’t know what he had been like with her leaving.  She still hadn’t told him about the mission at all.  Anyways, it was nice knowing that he wouldn’t hurt her like Jiro was continuously trying to imply.  Kaiya had already known, but with her emotions in a whirlwind, she obviously needed to reminder.  How she hated when her emotional mind outshone her rational one.</p><p>Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t been eating like she should.  Well, seeing as she was up early, she decided to make the best use out of her time.  She was going to eat, and then she was going to go outside in the storm and train for a little bit.  With Jiro out there, and with him threatening her friends and family, she needed to be at the top of her game.  She smiled slightly at the thought.  Now she understood what Vegeta was trying to point out.  Funny how her perspective would always change when it was someone else’s life at risk instead of her own.</p><hr/><p>“If she is the enemy, then why is she still alive?” Vegeta asked when Mizuki was introduced.</p><p>The young girl flashed worried eyes over to her sleeping siblings and then over to Kurama who let out a tired sigh.  “We had similar sentiments at first, but she is not a threat,” Kurama answered.  “Besides, she asked for protection for her siblings.  We wouldn’t kill her in front of them.”</p><p>Vegeta chuckled bitterly.  “For murderous demons, you’re too soft.  It’s a miracle you made it through that past tournament.”</p><p>Hiei scoffed at the insult.  “You have no idea,” he agreed.  Where he somewhat understood his friends’ positions having lived in this world for so long now, he still kept his ruthlessness in battle.  That was one thing they could not afford to have change.</p><p>“Look, I understand you may have problems with me, but-“</p><p>“Did I address you, girl?” Vegeta snapped causing Mizuki to shut her mouth.  He looked over to the demon group and sneered.  “Now, one of you is going to tell me why I was dragged here in the middle of the night and you better pray it’s a good reason.”</p><p>“Wow,” Yusuke said in wonder.  “It’s always fun seeing similarities between you and Kaiya.  She hates being woken up in the middle of the night.”</p><p>“I don’t have time for this,” Vegeta grumbled.  <em>Nor the patience</em>, he added in his mind.  He was ready to blast someone if no one started talking.  He heard Hiei chuckle behind him, and was growing irritated with his mocking nature.</p><p>Kurama stood up from the table where he was sitting and motioned to Mizuki.  “She had information on Jiro that is proving to be true,” Kurama explained.  “Not only is he planning to attack with his underlings at the Demon World Tournament, but he’s planning to use something stolen from Spirit World if he fails to end all of us.”</p><p>“Tch, please,” Vegeta sneered.  “I’m not afraid of something out of that place.  They’re nothing but morons.  I’m sure their technology is menial as well.”</p><p>“It’s not technology though,” Yusuke corrected.  “We’re dealing with a magical mirror thing that grants wishes, and unlike those ball things that were used to bring him back, it has no limit.”</p><p>“Been there, done that,” Vegeta grunted.  “There’s always a catch with those things anyway, isn’t there?”</p><p>“Look Mr. Know-It-All,” Kuronue belittled, “of course there’s a catch, but Jiro doesn’t have to pay it.  He plans on using unsuspecting underlings to do it.  The cost per wish is one life and the wish has to be made at the full moon.”</p><p>“Where this is all very interesting,” Vegeta said blandly, “it has nothing to do with me.  If Jiro tries anything, I’ll kill him without a second thought.  When that coward finally shows his face, that is if I don’t find him first, I will make him pay for everything.  This little coup he’s planning against your world won’t stick.”</p><p>“Are you willing to bet Kaiya’s life on that?” Kurama asked darkly.  Vegeta just remained cool and collected, staring stoically back at the fox demon’s hardened eyes.  A grunt from the prince mandated that Kurama continue with his point.  “Kaiya is at a disadvantage.  Jiro has to know where she is, and where she’ll defend herself, she won’t fight him.”</p><p>“And there’s already a good chance she’ll be dealing with him,” Hiei spoke up.  Vegeta glanced at the fire demon over his shoulder and saw him staring at the wall, an unreadable expression on his face.  “He’s going to go after her.”</p><p>“What makes you say that, Hiei?” Yusuke asked.  He looked over to Mizuki who looked just as confused.  “Hey, what’s up, lady?”</p><p>“He said he wasn’t going after her,” Mizuki revealed.  “He said he wanted her to know all of you got killed and then he’d tie up loose ends.  God, I hate the way he talks about her.”</p><p>Hiei managed to control himself not to clench a flame into his fist before he explained what happened that night.  “He contacted Kaiya,” Hiei explained, “through telepathy.”</p><p>“Well, at least we know where she got that power from,” Yusuke muttered.  “What did he say to her?”</p><p>“He knows about the mission, and he is going to be watching her,” Hiei explained, side-stepping everything that happened with Vegeta.  “The only way he can do that is to actually go there and watch up close.  She will be dealing with him sooner rather than later, at least sensing him.”</p><p>“Oh great,” Kuronue huffed.  “And even if she tried to defend herself, or the others tried to defend her, she’d get in trouble with Koenma.  This is a joke.”</p><p>“Kuronue and I are going to go Demon World and alert the others about Jiro’s plan,” Kurama started.  “That means you and Hiei need to stay here and continue training as well as keeping an eye on Mizuki.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei responded darkly.  “Sure that’s a good idea, fox?”</p><p>“Eh, we’ll be fine,” Yusuke countered, flashing an assuring smile over to the fearful girl.  “He’s all talk, really.”  Hiei glared at Yusuke, mentally communicating a slew of death threats and curses.</p><p>“But that just leaves one thing we need to decide,” Kurama stated, looking at Vegeta once more.  “If Jiro is going after her, maybe you should join them on the mission.”</p><p>Vegeta looked at Kurama like he was crazy.  Suggesting he join her was suggesting that she couldn’t handle herself.  This was her fight, not his, and he wasn’t going to get involved.  Jiro wasn’t going after her.  He was just watching and waiting to see how she would handle herself.  Honestly, Vegeta was also curious.  He would learn later, after the mission.  If this was what she was trained to do, she could do it.</p><p>He didn’t give an answer; he didn’t need to.  Kurama could already tell what the Saiyan prince’s answer was by the expression on his face.  The fox demon looked over to Hiei who also didn’t seem concerned.  Hiei could sense the demon’s unspoken question.</p><p>“I said he’d be following her and she would know,” Hiei reiterated.  “I didn’t say he’d harm her, not yet anyway.  I’ll keep tabs on both of them, but she’s not in any immediate danger.  She can handle it.”</p><p>“Where was the concern from earlier?” Kuronue pressed.  “Weren’t you worried about that incident that set her off?”</p><p>“She’s fine now,” Hiei returned, glancing over to Vegeta.  “She knows all is fine.  She’s rational again.”</p><p>“Women,” Yusuke joked before looking over to Mizuki.  “No offense.”</p><p>“Offense taken,” the girl replied.  Vegeta looked over to her again and she tensed.  “Y-yes?”</p><p>“What was in it for you?” Vegeta interrogated.  “What led you to rebel and turn to the enemy?”</p><p>“Oh, well,” Mizuki said looking over at her siblings.  “I was the one he wanted to use to make the wish.  He never trusted me.  Besides, if I did that, I’d have gone against my beliefs and left my siblings alone without care.  Neither left me wanting to stay.  It was better to change sides.  I never wanted that life anyways.  If anything, I just needed to train my own abilities to protect them.”</p><p>Vegeta gave a curt nod, somewhat understanding the girl’s predicament as it had been similar to his own rebellion against Frieza.  Still, it no longer concerned him.  It was back to training for him. He would become a Super Saiyan, and then all this worrying and planning would have been for nothing.  He was thankful for waking up now.  He would return to training.  He still had to break the barrier to the Super Saiyan transformation.</p><hr/><p>“So, she went to them, did she?” Jiro questioned Jake, a few demon hunters surrounding the two of them.</p><p>“Unfortunately,” the angry boy muttered.  “What is it about these demons?  This is the second girlfriend they’ve turned against me.”</p><p>Jiro chuckled at the boys words and waved a hand at his other minions to dismiss them.  Having heard of the betrayal, he was ready to take care of loose ends.  It worked out how he wanted, though.  Jake was too valuable to lose.</p><p>“I am no stranger to betrayal,” Jiro responded after the two were alone.  “It’s troublesome when someone you care about ends up stabbing you in the back.”</p><p>“Your daughter?” Jake questioned.  He scoffed slightly and rolled his eyes.  “She’s frustrating.  I tortured her for information on those demons and she refused to give any.  Too bad the torture didn’t kill her.  She must be made out of steel or something.”</p><p>Jiro frowned slightly, turning away from his faithful servant.  This was another reminder of the deal he had made twenty years prior, and a reminder that he was dealing with more than demons.  He hadn’t expected to deal with any Saiyans after making the agreement with Frieza.  Now, there were three of them that he knew of, and who knew how many more.</p><p>The scheming human hadn’t expected Frieza to experiment with his daughter the way he had.  He figured he’d use her as a warrior and that she’d be killed in battle, never leading to his future visions of his downfall.  He had known about the Saiyans from his visions as well, and he knew they couldn’t be free to live.  Frieza’s fear of them was why he “suggested” the planet’s destruction.  He hadn’t had enough foresight to predict that Frieza would keep a few as slaves to do his purging business.  If he wasn’t careful, his vision would come to pass.  He would die again, and it would be the fault of his daughter.</p><p>“That girl is a menace,” Jiro growled.  “She should have stayed dead.  Why couldn’t she have stayed a weakling?”</p><p>Jake shrugged.  He wished he knew the answer to that.  Had the girl been weaker, she wouldn’t have restored with her demon blood.  Unfortunately, he didn’t think he’d ever know the answer.  How was the boy to know that the man who posed the question also knew the answer?  All he did know was that the demons needed to be taken down as well as his traitor of a girlfriend.  <em>She better watch her back, </em>he said to himself.  <em>If I see her, she’s dead.</em></p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 16 - Breaking Free of Fear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my own OCs, and the current plot.  You know how it goes.  Honestly, if I owned anything more than my characters, I’d be rich and wouldn’t be writing fanfiction.  We all share the same sentiments :p</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rain continued to bear down on the little, Greek city.  The streets were empty save for the occasional passerby walking a dog or running errands.  All that could be heard was the sound of the drops hitting the pavement.  Lightning cracked in the distance, which would cause problems for a few individuals in the group.  It put a damper in the spies’ plans for the day.</p><p>“Maya, you can’t go out,” Kiense warned.  “Your powers make you a walking lightning rod.”</p><p>“Well what about yours and Kaiya’s powers?” the water psychic countered.  “You can’t even use them, right?”</p><p>“They aren’t going either,” Alexia stated with finality.  This gained the demi-Saiyan’s attention.</p><p>“We aren’t?” Kaiya asked in surprise.  She had been staring out the window, watching the rain fall as few cars drove by, head resting on her hand.  But the fact that Alexia was mandating she stay was news to her.  This had been her mission to begin with, and she had planned on seeing it through to the end.  Despite the storm, she had still been planning to go to the hideout.  She was going to force herself to deal with her irrational fear of lightning storms and this mission had been the perfect opportunity for it. </p><p>“Why am I staying?” she questioned, though Alexia looked away.  Kaiya knew that her cousin had something to say, and she was hoping she could coax her to admit it.  “You know that if I can’t use my fire abilities, I can use my ki.  Besides, I’ve used my abilities in the rain before.  They aren’t totally diminished.”</p><p>“Kaiya,” Alexia breathed out in concern.  “You know I respect you more than anything, but I was there when you freaked out over a thunderstorm to the point where Hiei needed to coax you back to sleep.  We don’t know what sensors these guys have for demons either.  Between the two unknowns, we can’t risk you losing your life again.”</p><p>Kaiya felt a slight jab when Alexia pointed out her fault that the rest almost didn’t reach her.  She grew quiet, staring into space intensely, her fists clenching slightly.  “Lexi,” she said sternly, “I can handle it.  I’m a lot stronger than I was and, even if they realized I’m a demon, I can hold my own.”</p><p>“That’s why we need you here,” Kuwabara interjected.  “Look, Alexia is right about whatever defenses they have.  They’re demon <em>hunters</em> so it makes sense that they’d have something to prevent demons from getting to them.  That means, until we know for sure, you, Kiense, and Yukina need to stay here.”</p><p>“I’ll stay too,” Botan offered.  “That way if you need us to track you down, I can use the detective tools.”</p><p>Kaiya sighed and reluctantly accepted the proposed sentiments of her friends.  “Fine.  I’ll keep my phone on me if you need me.”</p><p>Kuwabara flashed a goofy grin.  “Great!  We’ll contact you as soon as we know what we’re dealing with.”</p><p>Kaiya watched her cousin leave with the other psychics leaving her, Mayonaka, Kiense, and Yukina alone.  It was difficult for Kaiya not to take offense, but she knew in her heart that Alexia was right.  She needed to work through her fear.  Looking out the window again, she realized that she could work on it even though she wasn’t going to the hideout.</p><p>Vegeta had told her that she wasn’t ready to train on her own.  She knew he was right, too, but working on her fear was a different type of training.  Deciding to go out on her own, she changed into a dark blue t-shirt and black sweat pants before grabbing her blue sweat jacket on the way out.  Kiense, who had been waving the others off outside, grabbed her from behind causing Kaiya to still on contact.</p><p>“Where are you going?” he asked in concern.</p><p>“To train,” was all Kaiya said before she disappeared from his sight.</p><p>Kiense stared off into the distance sensing Kaiya’s demon energy.  He understood what she was doing having had to face his friends’ fear of him after his alter was returned to his dimension.  His friends had refused to give up on him, not wanting to fear someone they had always seen as family.  Since he had seen what they had gone through, he knew this was something Kaiya needed to work on herself.  Still, she needed protection.  Casting a worried glance at the house, he reasoned that the girls would be okay and went after Kaiya on his own.</p><hr/><p>“So, Mizuki,” Yusuke said nonchalantly, “I get why you got into demon hunting, but why Jiro?”</p><p>Mizuki sighed.  When her siblings were out training their abilities with Genkai, it became “20 Questions” with the spirit detectives.  “It’s not like I chose Jiro,” she scoffed.  “Jake was the one who got me involved.  He had been a friend of mine and, when I lost my parents, he got me involved.  This was before he went to New York and dated your friend’s cousin.”</p><p>“Hold up,” Yusuke replied.  “Jake dating Nariko was planned?”</p><p>“Well, Jiro does know Kaiya’s family well enough, don’t you think?”</p><p>“Fair point,” the detective conceded.  “Wow, that’s wild.  Jiro has been conspiring against Kaiya way too long.  This has gotta stop.”</p><p>“I agree,” Mizuki responded.  “I’m glad I came to you guys.  I mean, I know I’m going to have to serve time for everything I’ve done, but I’m just glad there’re no hard feelings.”</p><p>“Actually,” Kurama spoke up coming into the temple, “you haven’t committed any crimes against us.  Just being in an organization does not mean that you are with them.  You haven’t killed any humans or demons, and the only demons you’ve killed attacked you and your siblings.  The fact that you’ve given us the information along with that deems you innocent.”</p><p>“I take it you spoke to the toddler?” Yusuke asked.  “What did he say?”</p><p>Kurama shook his head.  “He’s not sorry for the case he gave to Kaiya.  I warned him that if anything happens to anyone involved, there’d be hell to pay.  He assured me that wouldn’t happen.”</p><p>“How can he assure that?” Yusuke yelled.  “He always does this crap and it usually ends badly.  How do we know it won’t?”</p><p>“Have faith in your friends,” Mizuki offered.  “That’s the only way I can see you all getting out of this.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Yusuke muttered.  “By the way, where’s Hiei?”</p><p>Kurama shrugged, though he knew where the fire demon was.  Hiei had decided to train on his own for the day at his and Kaiya’s beach spot.  He was concerned about Kaiya and Yukina, though he was loathe to admit it.  For his sake, he hoped both his girlfriend and sister would make it back safely.</p><hr/><p>Bulma had finished fixing the training bots like she did every couple of days.  She had been giving Vegeta the cold shoulder for that long, but she was starting to let go of her irritation.  Hiei and Vegeta seemed to be on speaking terms again, so something must have happened.  The heiress couldn’t help but wonder if either of them had talked to Kaiya.  She wanted to know how the girl was doing.</p><p>She had snapped just like Hiei had, their concern for Kaiya overriding their rationality.  Really, Vegeta had been, in some way, expressing concern for Kaiya’s wellbeing.  If she hadn’t been so distraught by what happened, things would have gone much differently.</p><p>Still, Bulma wasn’t in the mood to talk with the prince.  He had been brooding the last few days.  His behavior had seemed troubling to her.  All she could assume was that something big was going on.  Hiei had even come over that morning to see if Vegeta was there.  Something was definitely going on, and Bulma wanted to know.</p><p>Vegeta was training just as hard as he always did, starting up the GR at five in the morning and still going strong at noon.  He had skipped breakfast and it was almost lunchtime.  Bulma knew he needed to eat at some point, but lately he had been skipping meals to train.  She wondered what he was so worried about that he needed to incessantly train for.  It was either Jiro or the Androids.  She decided to settle on the latter since Vegeta was so adamant about Jiro’s weakness.</p><p>“Hey Vegeta, it’s lunchtime,” she told him through the door of the GR.  She got no response at all.  “Come on; I need to put the training bots back inside.  You should take a break.”</p><p>Vegeta still hadn’t come out of the room, and Bulma decided to do something drastic.  She had hoped that she wouldn’t have to use her secret weapon anytime soon.  She had been biding her time to revealing this secret to Vegeta.  Well, it was time for it to be revealed now.</p><p>Vegeta was shocked when the gravity changed so drastically from 400 to 0 in a second.  Such a drastic shift caused him to stumble back.  How it had happened, he didn’t know, but when he saw Bulma standing in the gravity room, he knew she had something to do with it.</p><p>“What did you do?” he said sneering at the woman in front of him.</p><p>“It’s the emergency override switch,” she explained.  “After your accident, I decided it was necessary.  You’re working too hard.”</p><p>“Too hard isn’t enough,” Vegeta retorted.  “What do you want, woman?  I thought you were avoiding me.”</p><p>Bulma chuckled at his mind’s astute nature.  “I was that obvious, huh?”  He scoffed at her remark and crossed his arms.  “Okay, well, I thought about it and I may have overreacted.  It was just upsetting to know that Kaiya was upset.  She’s been through a lot, you know?”</p><p>Vegeta didn’t need to be told that his sister had been through a lot of emotional grief, but it didn’t compare to physical warfare.  The girl needed to make the realization that her emotions couldn’t hurt her if she didn’t let them.  Sure, her father had killed her, but he wouldn’t get the chance a second time.  The second he tried to make his move against any of them, Vegeta planned on making the idiot suffer.  The coward had underestimated the blood of a Saiyan and that was a mistake he would live to regret, and he wouldn’t live long.</p><p>“I don’t need your apology,” Vegeta replied, his voice laced with derision.</p><p>“Oh trust me, I’m not apologizing,” Bulma told him.  “Just because I was wrong doesn’t mean I’m sorry for reacting the way I did.  As Hiei had said, we were raised with a different set of customs than the two of you were.  Despite how rational we can be, humans are emotional people and most of their decisions are based on emotions.”</p><p>“Pathetic,” Vegeta muttered.  “If you’re done with your speech, I need to get back to training.”</p><p>“You should probably eat first,” Bulma suggested.  “You skipped breakfast.”</p><p>Vegeta was about to protest when his stomach betrayed his hunger.  He glared at Bulma when her expression went from one of worry to one of amusement.  “Fine,” he growled before walking out of the room.</p><p>Closing the door, Bulma smiled at her handiwork.  <em>I’m so glad I installed that button.</em></p><hr/><p>Kaiya was attempting to mediate out on a mountain as the drops of rain cascaded down her body.  Her breathing was centered, her ki focused, despite the cracks of thunder and flashes of lightning occurring around her.  It was an indescribable feeling, being able to block all sound out while focusing on only one thing.  Kaiya chose to focus on the sound of the rain.  The sound of water hitting the pavement was calming; however, this feeling of peace was about to end.</p><p>“Kaiya.”</p><p>Her eyes opened when she heard the voice of her sister’s boyfriend.  She looked over to him and played off her discomfort by acting indifferent to both him and the storm.  “Kiense,” she greeted with a curt nod.  “What are you doing out here?”</p><p>“I was going to ask you the same thing,” the fire demon countered, “though, I could pretty much guess.”</p><p>“Really?” Kaiya said in interest.  “Because you know so much about me, right?”</p><p>He held his hands up in defense.  He knew that things were iffy between the two of them.  “Okay, I deserve that,” he admitted.  Since his alternate counterpart had been an enemy of the girl’s, he had kept his distance from her, and now she was pointing that out.   “I only know what Maya has told me.  I’ve avoided you because I don’t know how you feel about me after what happened.”</p><p>“It wasn’t you,” Kaiya stated.  “He was a double, and he was the one that attacked me.  I don’t hold you responsible for something you didn’t do.  Trust me; there are other people who should avoid me at all costs yet seek me out to cause more harm.”</p><p>“Jiro,” Kiense stated.  “Maya is nervous about him.”</p><p>Kaiya frowned before roaring thunder rang out into the mountain range.  She shook slightly, but ignored it.  “With good reason,” she replied.</p><p>Kiense nodded.  “I did have my dealings with him, unfortunately,” Kiense admitted.</p><p>“Really?” Kaiya asked in shocked.  “How and when?”</p><p>Kiense shook his head.  “Maya said she told you when she left, in a letter.”</p><p>Kaiya thought back to that time and did remember the letter.  It had been very vague.  Mayonaka had told her that there was another human psychic that had worked with Kiense before and that no one knew what became of him.  Her sister didn’t even know who the person was.  “I didn’t know it was Jiro.”</p><p>Kiense frowned and grew incredibly serious as he looked out into the range.  “It was a long time ago,” he explained her.  “I didn’t know who he was.  I hadn’t even met Mayonaka at that time.  I only realized after she told me about when she met him and what happened.  If I had known that he had had any connection to either of you, I would have told you.  That man was unstable.”</p><p>“Tell me about,” Kaiya agreed. “Anyways, you never answered my question.  What do you think I’m doing out here?”</p><p>“Working on your fears,” Kiense stated while gaging her reaction.  Kaiya chuckled and pulled her legs against her body.  “What?”</p><p>“You caught me,” she admitted.  “The Saiyan/demon hybrid is afraid of a little lightning.  And I try to hide it so well.”</p><p>Kiense frowned at her.  “You should never try to hide it,” he warned her.  “It prevents those who care about you from helping you.”</p><p>“The one who needs to know is aware of the problem,” Kaiya responded.</p><p>“Ah, so Hiei,” Kiense said knowingly.  “Well that’s good.  At least someone knows.”</p><p>“Kiense,” Kaiya muttered against her legs, “do you think something is wrong with me?”</p><p>Kiense was taken aback by her question.  He didn’t understand why she’d ask such a thing.  When he didn’t respond, Kaiya continued.  “I mean, my father…Jiro…has caused nothing but pain and misery.  I used to love storms and now I’m terrified of them because of how he killed me.”  She took a deep breath and sighed.  “Still, even though he’s plotted against me, my friends, and other alien races and even though he wants to kill all of us, a part of me still wants to forgive him.  There has to be something wrong with me.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say there’s anything wrong with you,” Kiense stated.  “I think it’s great you want to forgive and move past it.  Forgiving is a good thing, but it’s completely different from forgetting.  Go ahead and forgive his past actions for your own peace of mind, but you don’t have to forget what he put you through.”</p><p>“Well, that’s true.  Mom always says that, too,” Kaiya murmured as she looked out into the mountains and saw another jagged bolt of lightning.  “I guess it can’t really be erased, what he did, I mean.”</p><p>Kiense flashed her a sad smile and shook his head.  “I’m sorry, but no.  If it makes you feel any better, Maya is still trying to come to terms with it.”</p><p>It didn’t make Kaiya feel any better that Mayonaka was still struggling with it.  She had always said she wanted a twin when she was younger so she wouldn’t have to deal with the pain her father caused alone, but now she felt bad that Maya would never have any closure with this.  Even if Jiro was around they couldn’t exactly sit and talk things out like civil, normal people.  Jiro had it out for them, and going to him would result in nothing short of their deaths.  It was his fault that Kaiya’s life was traded to Frieza and that Mayonaka was shipped off to live somewhere else growing up with her adoptive parents.  Kaiya wondered what Jiro had been thinking when he had signed her life away and had sent Mayonaka to some other county.  The part of her that wanted to hang onto whatever remained of her innocence a little bit longer didn’t want to know.</p><p>A loud boom of thunder sounded out into the mountain range making Kaiya shiver.  At least she wasn’t cringing like she had before, but she still had a long way to go.  She couldn’t let herself be paralyzed by fear.</p><p>“Hey,” Kiense called softly and comfortingly.  He had noticed Kaiya’s fearful reaction and wanted to end her training.  “We should head back.  You’ve done enough today.”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t want to leave.  After living around her brother who trained endlessly, she was trying to hold herself to a higher standard.  Also, she still felt guilty for missing out on so much training.  Part of her felt she owed it to Vegeta to get over her own irrational fear, especially when he had to deal with her irrational emotions.</p><p>“I-I…I should continue,” she stuttered.  “This is something I have to get over.”</p><p>“And you will,” Kiense assured her, “just not today.  You’ll have plenty of time when we’re done with this mission.”</p><p><em>No, we won’t,</em> Kaiya thought quietly.  She was not naïve enough to believe that they actually had time.  Jiro had told her he planned to go after her friends.  She didn’t know if they knew or how bad it was.  Still, he made it clear as crystal that he planned to take them all down.  There was no question that the others could hold their own against him, but she couldn’t say she was confident in her own abilities.  After all, she had already been his victim once.  Could training with Hiei and Vegeta have even come close to giving her an edge against her villainous father?</p><p>“We’re on standby,” Kiense reminded her.  “If anything goes wrong, we’ll be needed.”</p><p>Kaiya sighed and hated that Kiense was right.  Somehow the hybrid needed to stop worrying about a future that wasn’t set in stone.  The present mission required all of her focus and nothing less.  If she wanted to survive, she needed to push everything aside.  No one knew what would happen.</p><hr/><p>“So, what exactly are you doing?” Shizuru asked Alexia.</p><p>Alexia looked up from the computer she was working on.  Getting into the facility had been too easy.  Because of their psychic powers, they were welcomed by the demon hunters.  Obviously this wasn’t the location of their leader.  If it were, his security would have been so much greater.  The best thing to do now was get as much information as possible before cutting their losses.</p><p>“I’m getting information off their computers,” she said blandly.  “I swear, they don’t even have their system password protected.  What idiots.”</p><p>“Hey, at least that makes our job easier,” Kuwabara retorted.  “We didn’t have to fight anyone to get in here, meaning no one had to get hurt.  I call this a success.”</p><p>“It won’t always be this easy,” Marissa told him.  “Come on; you should know that better than anyone.”</p><p>Alexia ignored the voices behind her as she copied a bunch of files to her flash drive.  She was actually pretty happy that Kaiya hadn’t had to come with them.  This was the simple stuff that any person could easily do.  Now, they at least had more information about the man they needed to bring in for questioning and his whereabouts.</p><p>“Let’s go,” Alexia said as she got off the computer.  “We need to go through this stuff fast.  The sooner we know who we’re dealing with, the better.”</p><hr/><p>Jiro was irritated at his lateness.  When he had called his old trainee, he had warned him that it was a matter of great importance.  Surely he’d be prompt for a meeting about demon activity.</p><p>As soon as he thought this, the doors slammed open revealing a middle-aged man, slightly younger than Jiro, who looked completely irate.  “This better be important, Jiro,” the man said.  “I have work to do.  Demon energy appeared in my town the other day, and I need to figure out who it is.”</p><p>Jiro chuckled.  “I can help you with that,” he told him.  “It’s my daughter, Kaiya, and her friends.”</p><p>The man looked at him incredulously.  “You have a daughter?” he asked.  “That’s a surprise.”</p><p>Jiro glared at his old friend and moved a picture into his line of sight.  “Yes, well, I tried to rid myself of the problem years ago,” he explained thinking of both her birth, when he had sent her to Frieza, and then her death.  “Unfortunately the three times I tried to eliminate her, she managed to survive.  She has demon blood in her veins which countered her death almost a year ago.”</p><p>“Sounds frustrating,” the man replied.  “So let me get this straight.  You have a demon daughter, she’s in Greece in my town…why?”</p><p>“Spirit World mission,” he explained.  “You need to be brought in for questioning, and it’s her job as well as her friends’ job to make it happen.  She has a lot of people on her side.  My recommendation, separate them and fight her alone.  She’ll never be able to handle it.”</p><p>Jiro smirked as his friend did.  “That will be easy,” he assured him.  “Thanks for the warning, old friend.”</p><p>“It’s not a problem,” Jiro replied, “Edward.  Just make sure she doesn’t win.  I need her out of the way if I want my plans to work.”</p><p>The demon hunter, Edward, nodded his agreement.  It made no difference to him if he had to take out some demon.  He didn’t care about a demon’s individual story.  All he knew was that they were all evil.  This girl, Kaiya, was not going to survive this mission.  Besides, he really didn’t want to travel to Spirit World for questioning, not at all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 17 - The New Enemy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Kaiya and Kiense made it back to the villa, their friends had already returned from the mission. “So what did you find out?” Kaiya asked getting straight to the point.  When she saw the look on her cousin’s face, she grew worried. “Lexi? What did you find?”</p><p>Kuwabara, having heard the story on the way back with the others, put his hand on Kaiya’s shoulder.  “You may want to sit down…”  A brow quirked as Kaiya bit back the retort that she was already sitting.  He looked over to Kaiya’s twin and said, “You too, Mayonaka.”</p><p>Mayonaka looked at him strangely, but did was he said and took a seat next to Kaiya on the couch.  Alexia, too, sat down on a chair opposite from the girls shaking her head and burying her face in her hands.  “I take it didn’t go well?” Mayonaka pressed a little, though she was getting nervous about how everyone was acting.</p><p>“It was an easy entry,” Alexia started explaining forcing her voice to stay even.  “There were no guards or traps.  The computer in the lobby had the worst password system ever.  Getting the information was easy.”</p><p>“Okay?” Kaiya murmured.  “So why is everyone acting like someone died?”</p><p>Shizuru had been the one to grab the flash drive before they left, and she tossed it to Kaiya now.  The girl stared at her like she was nuts before she picked up her laptop that had been sitting on the lamp table next to her.  As she slipped the flash drive into the port, Alexia hesitantly spoke up, her voice becoming shaky.  “There was a file, and now we know who we’re dealing with, what his power is, and where he is.”</p><p>“Great!” Kaiya exclaimed energetically.  “That means we can get back home sooner rather than-wait a minute…”  Kaiya’s eyes narrowed at some of the files she was reading.  She began scrolling through them and reading as quickly as she could.  Things weren’t adding up so much anymore.  “W-What is this crap?” she asked in a gasp.</p><p>“That,” Alexia said, “would be the combined ideas of both our fathers.”</p><hr/><p>“What are you doing here?” Hiei muttered as he looked out into the sunset. “I thought you’d be training still.”</p><p>“Hmph,” Vegeta scoffed, “as opposed to sitting on my ass doing nothing productive.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei growled.  “You don’t need to know what I’m doing.  I already completed my training for the day.”</p><p>Vegeta rolled his eyes at the fire demon.  He knew full well what he was doing. “You’re wasting training time pining for my sister,” he ridiculed.  “Not impressive for a supposed ‘warrior.’”</p><p>“Pfft.  You still know nothing.”  He ignored the glared he knew Vegeta was giving him.  “I’m watching them.”</p><p>“Who?” the Saiyan questioned.  “And how?”</p><p>“Jagan,” Hiei replied with a shrug.  “It allows me to keep an eye on them from a distance. And when I say them, I mean both of our sisters. So far, no danger.”  Vegeta didn’t reply.  He just stared at the demon in front of him.  “Hopefully they will be home soon.  When they return, though, things are going to be different.”</p><p>“What on Earth does that mean?” the prince snapped, crossing his arms and hardening his glare.</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  “Just another ‘relative’ she has to deal with.”</p><p>Vegeta hated when people were cryptic, and for some reason both Hiei and his friend Kurama seemed to make plenty of statements he considered to fit that category. Something about Hiei’s words and expression made it seem like a bad thing, but Vegeta could not figure out what his words could mean. It could mean the obvious thing, that there was another relative of Kaiya’s to worry about, but he bit out the word sarcastically enough that the prince refused to assume anything. He didn’t feel like asking either.  Instead he just joined Hiei in looking out into the sea.  His sister’s words continued to ring true.  Something about this open ocean had a calming effect.  If anything, this environment would help him with his meditation.</p><hr/><p>“So you guys aren’t really related,” Shizuru stated.</p><p>“Well, not by blood,” Kaiya explained.  “Her dad and Jiro went to college together.  We were introduced after I met Jiro and before he got me into those ‘classes’ and we had only been told we were family after Jiro’s death.  Lexi grew up calling Jiro ‘Uncle Jiro.’ So yeah, cousins, but not blood related.”</p><p>“Makes sense why I hadn’t really heard of her until I visited our grandparents on my own,” Mayonaka said.  “I didn’t meet Edward though.”</p><p>“Neither did I,” Kaiya revealed.  “I just knew of her dad.”</p><p>“Kaiya,” Alexia said, “be happy you didn’t meet him.  If what I found is true, I don’t know… He doesn’t know you. I never mentioned you and Jiro never mentioned you around him, and dad definitely never said anything about you...”</p><p>“Yeah,” Kaiya muttered in irritation, “he had a habit of doing that, even at my aunt’s wedding.  Whenever the topic came up, he moved it to something else after saying he’d explain who I was later.  I doubt later ever came.”</p><p>“What a creep,” Shizuru said taking out a cigarette.  “I mean, trying to hide your daughter when she’s already there.  What purpose does that serve?”</p><p>Kaiya just shrugged it off.  “I don’t know.  What purpose did it serve to sign my life away to some space tyrant?”</p><p>“Good point.”</p><p>Kaiya continued reading the information and shook her head.  “So not only is Alexia’s dad the guy we’re after, and he’s been working with Jiro for a while…but experimenting on psychics?”</p><p>Alexia nodded.  “Remember those guns that turned your friend into a demon when we found you and your friends camping?”</p><p>“Those creepy things?” Kuwabara shouted.  “We’re dealing with those again?”</p><p>Alexia shook her head.  “No, we stopped that when we infiltrated that base,” she explained.  “But the experimentation continued on psychics.”</p><p>“Wait, wait, wait…” Toshi nearly shouted.  “You’re telling me that psychics who are demon hunters are being experimented on and turned into demons by demon hunters?  That’s so counterproductive.  I mean, why allow yourself to become something you hate?”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  Nothing was making sense about this, but then as she thought about it she could see it wasn’t so much of a stretch.  “Jiro is exactly like Frieza…”</p><p>“Huh?” Yukina breathed.  “What do you mean, Kaiya?”</p><p>“I mean, he’s experimenting on humans and screwing with their genetics just to see what happens,” Kaiya sighed, “just like Frieza did with me. I don’t understand how someone who had such an amazing family turned into a monster that randomly got involved with aliens, plotted against a race, became a demon hunter, and then goes after his own children while performing crazy, unethical experiments on unsuspecting people…”</p><p>Kiense shook his head.  “When you put it like that…”</p><p>“So what do we do about my dad?” Alexia asked, breaking the heavy atmosphere.  “Kaiya is right.  The sooner we capture him and take him to Spirit World for questioning, the sooner we can get back home and put this mess behind us.  Then we can focus on whatever Jiro is planning.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded, but said nothing.  None of the others knew what Jiro was planning, well except for her and Vegeta since he happened to be present in her dream when Jiro revealed them to her.  She knew he was going after her friends, but he didn’t say what he’d do.  He just <em>had</em> to act like the cliché villain all the time.  It was starting to annoy her.</p><p><em>Remember this feeling, </em>she told herself.  <em>Maybe then you can actually fight him.</em></p><hr/><p>“So how’d it go?” Yusuke asked as Kurama over a compact communicator.  After Kurama had gone to talk to Koenma, he and Kuronue headed to Demon World and alerted the three “kingdoms” telling them to spread the word and warn anyone who they knew was entering the tournament and Enki. Right now, his friend was in Mukuro’s former kingdom.  He had just gotten done with warning her.</p><p><em>“She was surprised to see me and a stranger and not Hiei,” </em>Kurama told him.  <em>“She asked where he was.”</em></p><p>“Oh man,” Yusuke said laughing, “I would have paid to see the look on her face when you said Hiei was staying in Human World.”</p><p><em>“I did not tell her about his decision to reside there,” </em>Kurama replied. <em>“I merely told her about Jiro’s plan and the fact that there is a horde of demon hunters that want to attack when all demons are gathered for the tournament. We will be visiting Yomi next, and then Raizen’s kingdom.”</em></p><p>“Cool,” Yusuke said.  “Tell Hokushin to tell Enki and then I guess head back.”</p><p>Yusuke clamped the communicator shut before lying down on a bed.  He was still at Genkai’s guarding Mizuki and the twins.  The entire day, something had been bothering the three psychics.  He guessed it was premonitions, which made sense considering there was a ton of bad stuff about to go down.  Mizuki had almost been in the middle of it.  The half-mazoku couldn’t stop himself from shaking his head.  What kind of sick freak would sacrifice his own teammates?</p><p>Well, Sensui kind of did something like that, but only because he planned on going down with them. Jiro, he was something else.  He was a coward, honorless, and slime. His plan would backfire, though, and then everyone could move on with their lives and continue preparing for androids.</p><p>“When did life get so complicated?”</p><p>
  <em>“Talking to yourself, Yusuke?”</em>
</p><p>“Oh shit!” he exclaimed before opening his communicator.  “Koenma?  What do you want?”</p><p><em>“I have information,” </em>he told him. <em>“Is Hiei around?”</em></p><p>Yusuke shook his head, slightly glaring at the compact.  “Why?”</p><p>
  <em>“I really need to talk to Hiei…”</em>
</p><p>“Is that a smart idea after you sent his girlfriend on a mission that makes him question whether or not she’ll come back?”</p><p>
  <em>“Yusuke…it’s about Jiro…”</em>
</p><p>The look on Yusuke’s face reminded Koenma that the teen with the bad attitude he had hired to be spirit detective years ago was now part demon with an even bigger and darker attitude.  “Koenma…for your sake, you better pray he’s in a good mood.  If he’s not, I don’t want to know what he’ll do to you.  Meet me at the beach.”</p><p>He didn’t give Koenma the chance to answer before he nearly crushed the compact.  At this point, he was getting sick of hearing Jiro’s name.  The bastard was causing too many problems for his friends, his home, and Demon World which had become a second home to the boy.  He could only hope Hiei was in a calm, rational mood, but he was sure those qualities only belonged to Kurama and Kuronue.</p><p>“You go,” Genkai ordered having heard the conversation.  “They will be safe.”</p><p>“Right,” Yusuke responded.  “Thanks Grandma.”</p><hr/><p>“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Hiei exclaimed powering up and attacking Vegeta with his ki-enforced flames.  After a while, both of them felt restless and training seemed like the perfect stress relief.  The blue flames were spread out, but the ki controlled where they moved.  Spread out in five points, the ki forced every tier in the direction of the Saiyan prince.</p><p>Vegeta was smirking, appreciating the fact that Hiei managed to control his attacks better than before.  It was something he would file away in his mind for Kaiya’s training sessions.  That would eliminate many of her powers’ weaknesses in addition to putting more strength into the attack.  He nodded his approval before he flashed out of the way and into the sky, but he still was hit by two of the tiers as Hiei sent the attack to the new spot where he reappeared.  He smirked again.  Though his strength was still far below his own, the fire demon was starting to use strategy instead of purely fighting on emotion.  Focusing ki seemed to subdue his emotional outbursts.</p><p>Hiei was about to use his strongest attack, his bandages having been off the entire fight.  The wind stirred up around him as the waves splashed in his direction.  This was the first time Hiei was going to attempt to control the Dragon’s path…or so he thought.</p><p>“Yo, Hiei!”  The black flames surrounding Hiei’s hand dissipated as he scoffed and looked over to Yusuke.  His expression darkened when he saw the Spirit World prince with him, in his teenaged form.</p><p>“Kill me,” Hiei growled sarcastically under his breath.</p><p>Vegeta’s brow quirked in amusement, as he looked down to the two figures coming towards them.  He gently cascaded down to the sand below and observed the two, recognizing Yusuke but having no idea who the brown-haired teenager was.</p><p>“What is <em>he </em>doing here?” Hiei snapped, the teenager faltering slightly at his murderous tone.</p><p>The teen laughed nervously before saying, “Oh, come on, Hiei…we’re cool, right?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Yusuke snorted and shook his head.  His arms were crossed, but he pointed to the teen with his thumb.  “He’s got information…on Jiro.”</p><p>Hiei’s eyes narrowed into slits as he glared intensely at Koenma.  “Really?  Now?  After all this time?  You people are idiots!  Let me guess…it’s something that pertains to Kaiya’s mission, right?”</p><p>Koenma shook his head.  “No, not this time, Hiei,” he said softly.  “And to be honest, I wish we had caught it earlier.  If someone had… A lot could have been avoided, let’s say.  But I think you need to know a few things, and you’re not going to like them…”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei scoffed.  “I never liked anything you had to say, so what makes a difference now?”</p><p>Koenma dared to look over to the Saiyan prince, his nerves returning to him.  Like Hiei, Vegeta glared harshly at the man, already gathering who he was.  The only thing preventing him from attacking him now was his curiosity as to what he had to say.</p><p>He sighed and took a deep breath.  There was no good way to say it, so he thought he would start with the basic premise.</p><p>“Jiro has been plotting Kaiya’s death since before she was ever born…”</p><hr/><p>“That’s his power?” Kuwabara questioned.  “That’s easy.”</p><p>“No, Kuwabara,” Botan reprimanded, “no it’s not.”</p><p>“So he can create barriers and use water abilities,” he replied.  “Big deal.  Haven’t we been there, done that?  There was Seaman in the Sensui case who I fought and Kaiya fought Mayonaka so we already know how to handle it.”</p><p>Kaiya just stared at him blankly.  “How is it possibly for one to be a genius with engineering but a complete idiot with this?”</p><p>“Excuse me?” Kuwabara nearly snapped.  “What’s wrong with what I said?”</p><p>“Kazuma…” Yukina said softly.  “You missed the point.  Those aren’t his only powers.  The last one will be the problem…”</p><p>“He can paralyze his opponents with their own fears, Kazuma,” Shizuru breathed out along with a puff of smoke.</p><p>Kuwabara’s face felt before he muttered something under his breath.  “Well yeah, but fear can’t defeat us, not if we don’t let it.”</p><p>“You don’t understand!” Alexia yelled.  “I’ve faced his power before and, even if it’s a fear you’ve come to terms with, it can weigh heavily on a person.  And it’s not just one fear, it’s all fears.  If someone nearly drowned as a kid, but could swim as an adult and had no fear, it wouldn’t matter.  So let’s say someone like you goes up against him.  What have you seen?  Death, blood, battles against opponents with immense power?  Was there one battle where you didn’t have fear?”</p><p>Kuwabara looked taken aback but looked away.  “No…even if I knew we’d win, I still held fear whether it was for me or my friends.”</p><p>Alexia sighed and looked over to Kaiya.  “You would be the one in more danger of suffering than any of us,” she stated.  When Kaiya seemed confused, she clarified.  “Mice, fire at one point, darkness, small spaces, lightning and storms, not to mention Jiro and Frieza and your own death which alone would give anyone nightmares…you have more against you than the rest of us…”</p><p>Kaiya nodded in understanding, but still had the look of determination.  “It doesn’t matter.  We have to fight him.  Whether he comes after us with our fears or not can’t be a concern.  We just need to apprehend him.”</p><p>“I agree,” Kiense stated.  “We just have to-“  A crash of lightning sounded making Kaiya tense before the power in the villa went out.  “Shit.”</p><p>“Okay, this is not helping two of the many fears Alexia just listed…” Kaiya muttered before shutting her computer.  Then a wave of something passed over her as she sensed something amiss in the city.  Shizuru seemed to look in that direction too.</p><p>“What’s up sis?” Kuwabara questioned growing increasingly nervous. Shizuru was obviously having another premonition.</p><p>“Demons,” Kaiya said breaking the intense silence.  “Demons in the city…and they were once human.”</p><p>“You have five minutes to explain yourself,” Hiei growled.  After Koenma had made his opening statement, the silence on the beach grew intense despite the crashing waves and blowing wind.  All of that noise faded into the background.  The peace that he normally found in the spot with Kaiya did not seem to quell the rage he was feeling.</p><p>“I…I need more time than that,” Koenma stated.  “It’s just like I said…we never caught this.”</p><p>“You’ve judged and sentenced him and you’re <em>just </em>figuring this stuff out now?” Yusuke questioned sounding exasperated.  “That’s…that’s just stupid.  I mean, I know Spirit World is screwed up, but this is ridiculous.”</p><p>“Explain,” Hiei demanded.  “Give me another reason to hate that bastard.  I dare you.”</p><p>Vegeta was watching this verbal showdown between the three and realized something through it all.  None of those who worked for this man were impressed with his abilities.  It was a wonder things got “balanced” at all.</p><p>“Jiro has the ability to see the future,” Koenma started to explain.  “Like Kaiya, he can see visions of something bound to happen.  He met her mother, Kagami, in college.  There, he got involved with the Planet Trade Organization, which in turn is how he got involved with Frieza.  The soldiers, humanoid in appearance so they could blend in, used a fraternity as a cover to train humans in skills needed in the enterprise.</p><p>“He then, after joining this club, had a vision that he would have a daughter and she would be his ultimate downfall, and after that Kagami had told him she was pregnant.  He didn’t want to suffer like he had in the vision, so he made plans.  In the vision, he gathered the girl would have demon abilities as well as Saiyan abilities, and that was where he started his plans.</p><p>“He demanded the leader of the fraternity to get him in touch with Frieza, though he had no idea what he was like.  He hoped to find a way to make sure his daughter wouldn’t end him after Kagami refused the idea of an abortion…”</p><p>Hiei growled when he heard that word.  He found out earlier in the year that whenever it was mentioned, Kaiya would grow sad and weary.  She must have already known something about it regardless of how much her mother had told her.  Maybe Jiro had said it before.  He didn’t know.  He just never wanted to bring it up to the girl.</p><p>“Frieza was interested when Jiro proposed a plan against the Saiyans. At first he had asked him questions about who the Saiyans were, but he could sense Frieza’s disdain for the race, so he suggested he destroy them thinking he’d eliminate all of them and not risk whatever was going to happen in his vision.  He thought the problem was taken care of then, but Frieza did not destroy Planet Vegeta right away.  Instead he made arrangements with the Planet’s king to take his son at a later date.”</p><p>“Of course his plan would backfire,” Vegeta scoffed.  “No one could have fully manipulated Frieza.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Koenma agreed.  “The next problem came when the girls were born.  Jiro was not aware Kagami was having twins, and when they were born, he didn’t know who would be his undoing.  Well, not until he tried something.  Due to complications during the delivery, Kagami was unconscious when Jiro paid off the doctors to leave him alone with the girls, no questions asked.  At that point, he attempted to kill one of the girls, and that one was Kaiya.”</p><p>“Hold…up!” Yusuke shouted.  “So that asshole actually tried to kill a baby?  Who the hell actually does that?”</p><p>Hiei clenched his fists in rage, trying to keep himself from blowing up right there.  Jiro had been as heartless as his own people had been with him.  How something like that could have been missed, he had no idea.  The next thing Koenma said, though, would shock the fire demon even more.</p><p>“Something prevented him, though, and it’s the reason this information was hidden,” Koenma explained.  “You see, Spirit World stays out of affairs regarding soul mates.  The laws always stated that for soul mates to find one another, things must happen to push them together or a balance is disrupted.”</p><p>“What does that have to do with anything?” Hiei growled.</p><p>Koenma looked over to him with sorrowful eyes.  “Everything, Hiei.  You see, another thing about soul mates is that they need to stay alive to find each other later, so if any harm befalls them, the other soul sends a defense over dimensions regardless of age or their own knowledge.  And that’s what happened with Kaiya that day.  When Jiro attempted to kill her, demonic flames surrounded her and guarded her, and that is why no one interfered with the information.  It was locked tight. The flames that protected her that day came from you, Hiei.”</p><p>Hiei’s eyes widened, mouth dropping open in shock as Koenma said that.  Even Yusuke seemed shocked, not even making his usual perverted jokes.  Vegeta, on the other hand, did not care about the emotional drivel that was being spoken.  He was more interested in finding out how Jiro ended up making his deal with Frieza.  So what if the fire demon was his sister’s “soul mate?”</p><p>“I…” Hiei tried to speak before getting angry again.  “He knew, didn’t he?  He knew from the beginning who I was.  He had to have recognized the energy. It’s how he knew she had befriended us the first time we met.  He knew his daughter was going to end up with a demon.”</p><p>Koenma nodded. “That’s not all.”  He tried to ignore Hiei’s growl and Yusuke’s aggravated shout of, “Oh come on!”</p><p>“Jiro, at the time, did not recognize the energy.  He was only going by his vision of his daughter.  The fact that there was another one bothered him, but he decided to do something different with her.  He used a scouter and found that she was weak with a normal Earthling power level of two.  Regardless of whether or not she had powers, Jiro didn’t deem her a threat. So he paid off more doctors to say one of the twins died and kidnapped her himself.  That girl was later on sold to a couple in Greece, and later named Mayonaka…</p><p>“As for Kaiya, he couldn’t touch her.  He knew if he did, whatever flames attacked him once would attack him again.”</p><p>“Hn, I’m glad to know I caused pain to that bastard long before he ever killed Kaiya.”</p><p>“Yeah…” Koenma muttered.  “Anyways, he left her alone with Kagami.  After the birth he told her he couldn’t be around their daughter, and we’ll leave it at that.  Instead, she raised her alone, far away from him.  In the meantime, because he couldn’t destroy her, he decided to discuss his problem with Frieza telling him everything, in detail, about his vision.  Frieza in turn demanded he trade his daughter over to him for protection.  To do that, he needed her back in his life.</p><p>“When Kaiya was eight, she wanted to know he father, and he had visions regarding her desire.  He made it easy for Kagami to locate him and then took on the role as an estranged father.  He got her to trust him, acting kind to a kid blinded by a desire to meet her father.  After that, he convinced her to take ‘self-defense classes’ which her mother was unsure of.  Eventually she gave in because of Kaiya’s excitement and need for her father’s approval.  A year later after that ‘training’ was when he managed to knock her out and get her to Frieza.  He was there when the experiment was performed.  He tried to stop it, worried that it would cause the vision to come true.  It was when he learned that his first suggestion to Frieza wasn’t a complete success.  It was also when he found out that Frieza couldn’t be trusted.</p><p>“His protests were ignored and he was held back by Frieza’s men as the experiment was going on.  Frieza truly hadn’t cared about his vision or what would happen to him.  All he wanted was to see what would happen when you inject one alien with another’s blood, specifically Saiyan blood he had from the princess his men killed at an earlier date.  He wanted to know if he could create a stronger fleet by messing with the blood.  He expected her just to get abilities, not to become part Saiyan.  The blood didn’t coagulate properly being from an alien species and that caused a lot of upheaval, especially for Jiro who Frieza had forced back to Earth.  That’s…all the information we have…”</p><p>“The fact that you can use a word like coagulate when you normally look like a toddler blows my mind,” Yusuke said attempting a joke.</p><p>Hiei just shifted his glare from Koenma to Yusuke.  Before he could comment on his stupidity, Koenma was pressed up against a large rock being choked by the Saiyan prince.</p><p>Vegeta was beyond angry.  The fact that anyone had this kind of information out there yet did nothing about it was the most idiotic thing he had ever heard beating out the fact that Kakarot had let Frieza go multiple times.  He didn’t care that he was strangling a “deity.”</p><p>“Hey…eh,” Koenma choked out before Vegeta’s grip got tighter choking him more.  “H-help…”</p><p>“No one can help what I’m about to do to you,” he said darkly.  But in that moment, he was distracted.  “And believe me when I say no one wants to.”</p><p>“Hey, I know he screwed up, but you can’t really kill him,” Yusuke voiced.  “I mean, he’s the lord of Spirit World.  This teen body of his isn’t even real.  You’d be wasting energy.  Besides, we’d all just be in a lot more trouble.”</p><p>“H-he’s right,” Koenma said, though he knew the first part of what Yusuke said was a lie.  He knew very well that he could be hurt in that form.  Still, he remained quiet, especially when Hiei just snorted and didn’t try to disprove Yusuke’s statement.  He’d have to thank Kaiya later for changing Hiei’s outlook on things when she brought in the demon hunter for questioning.</p><p>Vegeta glared at the coward in front of him, but released him deeming him unworthy of any attention.  “I demand that you call off this silly deal you made with my sister and let us destroy that bastard without qualm.”</p><p>Koenma sighed in defeat and said, “I wish I could do that.  Really I do.  In light of this new information, I’d say have at it, but there’s a problem.” Vegeta’s expression demanded he continue.  “You see, the mission I gave them…they’re already in too deep.  The one they’re after already knows they’re there, and Jiro has already asked him to deal with them.”</p><p>“I know,” Hiei muttered darkly.  When he received questioning stares from Yusuke and Koenma, he elaborated.  “I’ve been keeping tabs on the mission with the Jagan.  Alexia found information.  Her father, Jiro’s college friend, is already on them.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re in the middle of a fight right now.”</p><p>Yusuke looked over to Koenma giving him a glare holding slight sympathy.  “You better pray they make it back alive.”</p><p>“I have no doubt they will,” Koenma said, “because Kaiya still has yet to be Jiro’s downfall.”</p><hr/><p>“Are you sure it was a good idea to leave the girls and children alone back there?” Kaiya asked.</p><p>They decided to go out and find the psychics turned demons, leaving the non-fighters behind at the villa. Yukina didn’t want to stay back, but Shizuru ended up talking her down as well as Kuwabara reminding her about her condition. Suze offered to stay back with them and the kids, and Mayonaka still had to remain there because of the storm.  Botan stayed back as well, so at least they had strength in numbers.</p><p>“Don’t worry so much, Kaiya,” Kuwabara stated.  “The girls got this.  Besides, Botan managed to keep Keiko safe in one of our first missions.  My sister’s tough too.”</p><p>Kiense chuckled slightly and shook his head.  “Not to mention they have Mayonaka, Suze, and the kids.  They’ll be fine as long as they don’t leave the building.”</p><p>“As for us,” Marissa stated, “we need to split up.  I can feel demonic activity coming from all directions. I say three groups of two.  No sense in anyone going off on their own.”</p><p>Everyone nodded in their agreement.  Kiense looked over to Kaiya as another crack of thunder sounded after a flash of lighting passed overhead.  From what Alexia had said everyone knew about Kaiya’s storm fear, but did anyone know how to deal with it?  “Kaiya and I will go searching the east end of the city,” he said.  “I sense a great deal going on there.”</p><p>“Right,” Alexia said.  “I’ll head out west with Toshi.”  When she received Toshi’s questioning glance, she sighed.  “We all need to go with someone who knows this town in case we run into trouble.”</p><p>“Oh,” was all Kuwabara could say to that.</p><p>“That’s actually a really smart idea,” Marissa stated.  “So it looks like I’m going with Kuwabara.  We’ll check out the northern part of the city.”</p><p>Kaiya liked the plan, but she caught herself looking back to the villa.  She knew that the girls would be okay.  Still, she couldn’t help but worry about them.  Half of them weren’t even fighters.  Unfortunately she couldn’t afford to linger on her concern.  They needed to find Alexia’s father before the night ended.  It was clear he was onto them if he sent his “experiments” out into the city.</p><p>That word left a bitter taste in her mouth as soon and she thought it.  If she thought about it, she was just like these psychics.  Willing psychics did it to themselves, but Kaiya knew how her own father operated.  He was the type to keep something like that a secret and lure unsuspecting people to be his guinea pigs.  She wondered if the new demons were conscious of the change and if they felt the same way she did when she realized she too was a science experiment.</p><p>“Let’s split up,” Kaiya stated drawing everyone’s attention to her.  “We need to make sure no innocent people get brought into this.”</p><hr/><p>Rage did not even begin to describe how Vegeta was feeling after leaving the spirit gang behind.  After a long discussion that proved to infuriate him even more, he returned to Capsule Corp. and slammed the door shut behind him.  This alerted Bulma, but she remained in her lab to finish her work and plans.  Part of her was happy that her parents had gone out again that night so that they would be out of the way while the Saiyan prince had his temper tantrum.</p><p>Meanwhile, Vegeta was sitting down on the couch and glaring at a spot on the floor.  He hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights.  His energy was fluctuating as his mood darkened further.  Finding out about Jiro’s methods and actions that day was not something he needed.  He wanted to curse his curiosity, but it was better he knew exactly what he had done so that when he tortured the life out of him, all his crimes were accounted for.  He just couldn’t believe that this Earthling had gone through all that trouble simply to stop a vision.</p><p>Normally, it wouldn’t matter to him.  Someone trading their kid was not something he cared to be involved with under normal circumstances.  It was the fact that he dragged the Saiyan race into it and that the innocent child he wanted to destroy ended up with his sister’s blood.  That is what had his blood boiling.  Everything else, like with the “soul mate” crap, he didn’t care about.  Still, he couldn’t help but think of the conversation that followed the confession.</p><p>
  <em>“How is it that the information was unlocked now?” Hiei asked with a dark tone to his voice.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Koenma, after revealing all the information, didn’t think he had anything to be nervous about until that question was asked.  He was hoping Hiei would be too shocked to question him on how the file came into his possession.  Now he had no choice but to respond.  He flashed Yusuke a look that silently asked for his help.  Yusuke crossed his arms, his eyes slightly wide, but he answered with a nod and took a few steps closer to the fire demon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You see,” Koenma started awkwardly, “cases regarding soul mates cannot be interfered with, so the files are restricted until the two souls meet.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I met her nearly three years ago!” Hiei exclaimed, starting to get angry again.  “That means that for three years you’ve either been sitting on this information or you didn’t even know you had it.  And Jiro died a year ago!  Shouldn’t you have punished him based on that file?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Koenma was nervously twiddling his thumbs growing increasingly anxious.  “Ayame was the one who found the information…yesterday.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hiei’s expression became a cross between a blank stare and an irritated glance.  “I’m not even going to point out how often you pull this shit, but I am warning you.  You make this right, and regardless of this damned mission you sent Kaiya on, you give us the right to defend ourselves against Jiro and his accursed hunters.  Are we clear?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Koenma nodded his agreement.  Honestly, if this was how Hiei was going to react, he was getting off easy.  “You are all free to defend yourselves from them without consequence.  Just, try not to kill anyone who DOESN’T attack you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hiei was about to object, but Yusuke decided to pacify the situation.  “Yeah, yeah, we got it,” he interjected.  “Just…seriously, fix your stupid system.  This is getting out of hand.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We’ll do our best, Yusuke.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Your best isn’t good enough,” Hiei rebuked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yusuke sighed and then looked over to where Vegeta had been.  “Hey, where’d he run off to?”</em>
</p><p>After he flew away from the beach, Vegeta ended up at his private training ground, where he had brought Kaiya earlier that week, to let off some steam.  He expelled his angry energy, leveling part of the rocky terrain.  It hadn’t helped to relax him, which is why he returned to Capsule Corp.  He didn’t know what he could do to expend his heightened energy.</p><p>After sitting in the dark for a while, Bulma finally came up from her lab.  The house was incredibly dark, but she turned on the hall light which illuminated a path to the living room.  When she got in there, she found Vegeta sitting on the couch seething, fists tightened, jaw clenched, and body tense.  She honestly couldn’t remember a time where she had seen him this angry.</p><p>Against her better judgment, she walked over to him.  He didn’t even react to her presence as she hovered directly behind him.  She took one of her hands holding the intention of touching his shoulder but, as soon as she did, she instantly regretted it.  She hadn’t expected Vegeta to react violently; however, she didn’t realize that she startled him.</p><p>Vegeta hadn’t heard Bulma enter the living room.  He didn’t even register the glow from the hall light.  He was somewhere else entirely, so when the human woman had touched his shoulder, he was on the defense.  Grabbing her wrist, he had her pinned to the wall, but was shocked when he recognized his “attacker.”</p><p>“W-what were you…?” he began to ask.  “What the hell were you thinking?  I nearly snapped your wrist!”</p><p>“S-s-sorry,” Bulma nearly whimpered out.  “You just looked so tense and out of it.  I was just going to ask you ‘what’s wrong…’”</p><p>Vegeta scoffed at her idiocy and shook his head.  “Then you ask.  You don’t grab someone when they least expect it.”</p><p>He started to let go of her, though he still held onto her wrist.  “Noted,” Bulma replied softly.  “Now, are you okay?”</p><p>“Please,” Vegeta grunted.  “I am fine, woman.”</p><p>Bulma frowned at him before looking at her wrist.  He was holding it lightly now, though it was starting to bruise from how he grabbed her.  “You don’t seem fine,” she said.  “What happened?”</p><p>“It is none of your concern,” Vegeta stated as he eyed her wrist.  He was surprised that he actually grabbed her hard enough to leave a mark.  Narrowing his eyes at the joint, his thumb started tracing the bruises.</p><p>Bulma noticed his irritation and said, “Oh, don’t worry about that.  I should have been more careful.  I’m sorry I startled you.”</p><p>He should have been more aware of his surroundings, he wanted to say. He had been too absorbed in the information he had heard that day.  Everything about it made no sense.  First, why would a weak human think trusting Frieza would work out in the long run, and second, why would Frieza want to experiment with Saiyan blood?  What purpose did he have for making him guard her?  The only ones who would know that were long dead, except for maybe Jiro.  At this point, though, did it even matter?  The damage had already been done and Frieza’s desires for the girl no longer mattered.  All that was left of the PTO was one lose end that he wouldn’t even need to use any energy to break.</p><p>“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it,” Bulma said softly snapping Vegeta out of his thoughts again.  He couldn’t believe he lost focus like that again.  It also shocked him when Bulma took the hand he held and comfortingly rubbed his cheek.  “Whatever it is, it will be okay.  If it has anything to do with Kaiya, she’ll be home soon.”</p><p>He already knew that from what Hiei had said about how the mission had turned.  “I know,” he voiced quietly, though he hadn’t had any intention of answering.</p><p>Bulma smiled at him before moving her hand down to his shoulder.  “Would you like something to eat?  I can have the bots cook something.”</p><p>Vegeta wasn’t really in the mood to eat anything.  He really didn’t want to do anything except expend the energy he had.  Training obviously hadn’t worked, but he did feel a shift in his energy when the woman touched him.  Something about her being there with him made him feel a little lighter and less tense. Before he could stop himself, and not knowing what possessed him, he pushed her back against the wall kissing her lips.  He was surprised when she responded to him, but he didn’t care.  Instead, he carried the woman up to one of the many rooms of the compound.  No one saw them for the rest of the night.</p><hr/><p>Hiei scoffed as he heard Yusuke recounting the events of the day to Kurama over the communicator.  Genkai and Mizuki were also in the room, though Mizuki’s siblings were asleep in another room.  Despite the trouble they had had with the girl, Hiei understood her desire to protect and shield her siblings from the danger.  He had always tried to do that for Yukina.  It reminded him that she was still on that mission.  It also reminded him that he needed to talk Kaiya.  He did not want to startle her by contacting her through telepathy.  To avoid that, he took out a cell phone that Kuwabara had left with him and dialed his girlfriend.  Her phone went straight to voicemail.</p><p>The logical answer was that Kaiya had her phone off and was in the middle of something else.  Hiei didn’t want to consider that Kaiya was already fighting.  He looked over to the detective who had tossed the communicator aside before he started conversing with the two women.  Hiei quietly made his way over to them and when he reached Yusuke he had but one demand.</p><p>“Give me the damn compact, now.”</p><p>Yusuke stared at the fire demon strangely before handing him the Spirit World technology.  He made a remark about something “crawling up his ass and dying” which only perturbed Hiei more.</p><p>He opened the device that looked like a makeup compact and hit a few buttons.  Within moments, a face appeared on screen and it was not the one he was expecting.</p><p>
  <em>“Brother?”</em>
</p><p>His expression softened considerably while expressing his concern.  “Yu-Yukina…” he nearly whispered.  “Why are you answering the compact? Where’s Kaiya or Botan?”</p><p><em>“They aren’t here,” </em>the ice maiden replied.  <em>“Well, Botan is, but she’s downstairs with Mayonaka, Suze, and Shizuru.  They’re worried about demon attacks and are staying at the ready.  I’m with Akio and Kiri.”</em></p><p>“Where is the foo-I mean Kuwabara?” Hiei asked in a panic.  They couldn’t have really left themselves with a weakened defense full of many non-fighters…</p><p><em>“He’s out with the others,” </em>Yukina explained while frowning. <em>“Everyone sensed demons out in the town.  Kaiya said they were once human.”</em></p><p>Hiei muttered a curse under his breath so his sister wouldn’t hear the word.  “I really need to talk to Kaiya.  As soon as she gets back, can you tell her to contact me right away?”  Yukina nodded and Hiei gave her a curt nod before saying, “Be safe, sister.”  Then he snapped the compact shut.  He really hoped that everything would be okay.  If anything happened to his sister or Kaiya that night, Koenma would need to use everything to hold him back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 18 - Battle of Faults</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own YYH, DBZ, or the characters.  Just my OCs</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This place is creepy,” Kuwabara muttered as he and Marissa were walking around the northern shore.  The ocean waves were crashing against the shaded rocks.  The overcast from the storm, along with the lightning, made the environment eerier than normal.  Marissa was shaking slightly, not having seen a storm as bad as the one attacking the small island.  The fact that they were searching for psychics experimentally turned demon made Kuwabara’s statement ring truer than ever.  It was like their group of friends was in a warped sci-fi/supernatural crossover movie.</p><p>The teenager shook her head.  “That’s an understatement,” she muttered.  “I feel like I’m waiting for something to come out and attack us.”</p><p>Kuwabara watched the younger girl from behind and smiled a bit.  “Hey, don’t worry,” he said to reassure her.  “I’m not sensing anything to close to us.  Wherever the demons are going, here is not it.”</p><p>Marissa looked at the spirit detective in shock.  Her spiritual awareness was decent, but the sense barely went past a few feet.  “How…how do you know?”</p><p>Kuwabara turned around and looked back at the city.  “Well, as we came in this direction, whatever demons were heading this way went another way.  I couldn’t sense where they were going, but if they’re all heading there it can’t be good.”</p><p>“We should turn back then,” Marissa suggested.  “Whoever they’re going after is going to need backup.”</p><p>Kuwabara nodded, trying very hard to pinpoint where the demons were.  His spiritual awareness had grown much over the years, but it was not precise.  Part of him wished that there was a way to sense where the life forms were.  Unfortunately the only one who could in their group was Kaiya, and he was already sure they were on their way to her and Kiense, the two demons on the mission’s team.  His eyes widened as he thought of something else.</p><p>“Oh crap,” he whispered.  Marissa looked to him questioningly.  “We need to get back to the house.  Yukina is there…”</p><p>Marissa gasped when he said that.  She didn’t know how any of them could have overlooked that.  “Don’t worry.  We’ll head back.  If anyone is going after her, Mayonaka and the others can hold them back until we get there.”</p><p>Kuwabara nodded, feeling frantic.  “Let’s go.”</p><hr/><p>Vegeta woke up in the middle of the night and groaned softly.  He sat up and stretched out his muscles.  Looking around to gather his surroundings, he realized that he didn’t remember going to bed.  Training, he remembered.  Being angry, he remembered.  Coming back to Capsule Corp., he slightly remembered.  Whatever happened between then and now was completely a blur, covered up by both his anger and pent up energy.</p><p>He was about to get out of bed when he heard soft snores beside him.  The sound made him stop, his eyes wide.  Then he looked over to his side and saw a sight that shocked him.</p><p>The woman was asleep beside him, covered in the sheets, and she didn’t seem to be wearing any clothes.</p><p>Vegeta just stared at the wall in front of him, his eyes still widened with a look of bewilderment plastered on his normally hardened face.  He looked around the room and found that clothes were strewn about, including his own.</p><p>“Oh God,” he said as it hit him fully.  His shocked became annoyance, and his wide eyes closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>The Saiyan got out of the bed and picked up his clothes before silently stomping out of whatever room they were in and heading to his own.  It took all of his energy not to make any noise, lest he wake the woman up and have to deal with her.  He didn’t know how it happened or what he had been thinking when it happened.  Was he thinking when it happened?  He obviously didn’t remember it.  Well, it didn’t matter now.  To him, this was a setback, a one-time thing.  He hoped the woman would be smart enough not to bring it up the next day.</p><p>
  <em>It was a mistake.</em>
</p><hr/><p>“Alexia,” Toshi said with a sigh, “are you okay?  You seem really wired.”</p><p>Alexia had been trying to keep her emotions in check, a serious look with narrowed eyes disguising the tumultuous trap her mind was becoming.  Before now, she never fully understood Kaiya’s feelings about Jiro.  They had never known each other very well and, from what her “cousin” confided in her, she had never fully trusted him.  Still, when the man had gone after her friends, the guilt that consumed Kaiya was as real as aliens were proving to be.  Even though everyone tried to convince her that she was faultless, Kaiya still continued to let the guilt break her.  Alexia had thought it was pointless to feel guilty regarding another’s actions.  So why was she feeling guilty now?</p><p>She and her father hadn’t spoken in years, her leaving his prison of a home.  He wanted her to fight, to kill, to use her abilities to wipe out the very people she cared about.  It never appealed to her.  To her, her special ability was a curse while her father believed it to be the greatest thing since sliced bread.  Great, now Yusuke’s sarcasm was inserting itself into her mental tirade.  It was another thing that reminded her that her father was the enemy this time, and he was working for Kaiya’s.  The two of them were going to be a wreck once this whole ordeal was over.</p><p>“I’m fine,” she lied.  “I just…I wish I would have seen this coming.  If I had, we could have avoided all of this.  I never meant for anyone to get dragged into-“</p><p>“Hold it,” Toshi interrupted.  “You didn’t do anything.  It’s like what we told Kiense when we defeated his alter.  It was his alter’s crimes, not his.  These are your father’s crimes, not yours.  Plain and simple.”</p><p>Alexia breathed out a chuckle and smiled sadly.  “If only it were that simple to believe.”</p><p>Toshi frowned slightly but he smiled when he saw Alexia’s sad smile become something of a grin.  He hoped that his words would help her on some level.  He was going to crack a joke before a wave of darkness overcame both of their senses and stopped them from walking.</p><p>The two turned when they heard growling and saw five demons behind them.  If these demons had been people before, no one would have been able to tell. A few looked like black piles of slime with red glowing eyes, while the other two had more of a reptilian structure.</p><p>“Well,” Alexia muttered, “at least they look more gruesome than their previous experiments.”</p><hr/><p>On the other side of town, Kaiya and Kiense were standing up against six psychic-demons.  They were surrounded by the circle of what looked to be cultivated humans.  Kaiya asked Kiense what cultivated humans were telepathically, and he told her that they were humans who had their souls ripped from them, used as mindless slaves to buy time.  Unlike the cultivated humans, these beings were in control and looked much more demonic.  Their skin was black and coarse; their eyes were glowing six different colors: red, green, blue, yellow, silver, and purple.  What significance that had, the two fire demons could not figure, but it was something they both noticed and that alone was a bad sign.</p><p>“Why are you doing this?” Kaiya asked looking into the eyes of the silver-eyed being.</p><p>“You wouldn’t understand, demon,” the former psychic rasped, surprising Kiense since cultivated humans had no will or speech.  “You chose to aide them.  We choose to destroy them.”</p><p>“You know nothing about the choice I made,” Kaiya countered.  “Besides, I didn’t purposefully become something I hated.  You did.”</p><p>“So you hate the demon blood?” the psychic taunted.  “I did not expect that.”</p><p>“I didn’t say I hated it,” Kaiya snapped.  “I was simply stating that I never made the choice to become something I hate to fight my battles.  Anything that made me who I am, where I didn’t choose it, I still like it.  I would rather use the abilities I was given to be someone I can be proud of.  I bet you if you go home tonight, you’ll regret it when you look at yourself in the mirror.  When I look in the mirror, I can assure you, I’m proud of all of me: human, demon, and Saiyan.”</p><p>Silver eyes narrowed at her.  “You are a lost cause,” he told her.  “For that, you will not be leaving this island alive.”</p><p>“What do you get out of hunting us?” Kiense interjected.  “Whatever demons caused you pain in the past…all of that is over now.  We’re just trying to coexist peacefully.  Now, you six are strong; there’s no doubt from the amount of youkai I’m sensing.  Why fight us?  Is it just orders?”</p><p>The demon with red eyes laughed at that.  “The only order was for us six to take you out.  The weaker demons have been sent to deal with the rest of the demon filth that accompanied you to the city, including the pretty little ice demon you’re so desperate to protect.”</p><p>“How did you-?” Kaiya started to ask before she glared at the ground.  “Jiro…”</p><p>The green-eyed demon grinned at this.  “Yes, and we were surprised to hear that demons were looking out for one another.  I saw enough of demon behavior in the past, when the girl was held prisoner.”</p><p>“Wait,” Kaiya stated as calmly as she could.  “You don’t really mean you…”</p><p>“Yes,” he responded.  “I was a servant to the crime lord, Tarukane, who held her captive.”</p><p>“You asshole!” Kaiya exclaimed.  “You know what that creep did to her!  Don’t tell me you actually approve of that!”</p><p>“Kaiya, what is he talking about?” Kiense asked, not having heard stories of the spirit detectives’ pasts from Mayonaka.</p><p>“It’s…kind of a long story,” she said while looking down.  “We don’t have time for it now.  What I want to know is what these six are planning to do to us since they have us <em>surrounded</em>.”</p><p>The blue-eyed demon, who seemed to be the only female of the group, stared at her curiously.  “I don’t like how you said that,” she sneered.  “What are you planning, demon?”</p><p>“I find it highly ironic that you’re all calling us demons when you seem to be demons yourself,” Kiense scoffed.</p><p>“They refuse to accept what they’ve become,” Kaiya stated, “and they’re also refusing to admit that they’re cowards that need to gang up on others to get the job done.  Very unbecoming.”</p><p>“You bitch,” the one with violet eyes whispered.  “How dare you say something so-“</p><p>“True?” Kaiya finished before the man could make his remark.  She smirked when his face displayed pure rage.  She mentally commended herself on being able to get under the demon’s skin.</p><p>“I’ll kill you,” was all he said before he disappeared from view and reappeared in front of her.</p><p>“Now!” Kaiya shouted, her making a dash for the space the psychic had just made for them to escape.</p><p>Kiense followed her lead, though he managed to throw a flamed punch to the silver-eyed demon.  He had managed to figure out just what the colors meant when he saw the purple energy around their attacker.  If they could fall back for just a moment, they could make their plan of attack and then hopefully make it back to the villa before the other demons.  He knew just the place to go, too.</p><p>“Kaiya, this way!” he called as he took the lead.  Ignoring the experimental demons chasing them, Kaiya followed Kiense to wherever he planned to take her.  She had to trust that it would be somewhere safe where they could collect their bearings and get over the group sneak attack.</p><hr/><p>Watching him pace was starting to be the most annoying thing in the world.  Whatever was going on had to be bad, so she said nothing and just watched as the normally stoic fire demon speedily walked back and forth while holding onto a lilac-colored compact.  Where she planned on saying nothing, that didn’t stop anyone else.</p><p>“Come on, Hiei, relax,” Yusuke said in attempts to get his friend’s attention.  “No news is good news, and you said yourself that they weren’t in danger before.”</p><p>“That was before,” Hiei countered. Mizuki’s eyes widened as he made the remark.  “And whatever is going on now…I can’t see anything.”</p><p>The admittance made Yusuke pale.  “The only time that happened before…”</p><p>“Was when Yukina was kidnapped,” Hiei finished, his eyes darkening.  “If I don’t hear from them in an hour, I’m getting that idiot prince to send me there.  Koenma has run out of chances with me.”</p><p>Mizuki shook her head.  It seemed that everything started getting worse for the group when she came to warn them about Jiro’s plan.  “I’m…I’m sorry, Hiei.”</p><p>Hiei looked over to the human psychic and she nearly gasped when she saw the burning fury lighting his eyes.  “Either you’re apologizing because you’re responsible, or you’re apologizing out of pity.  Which is it?”</p><p>“Neither,” she answered honestly, “but where I’m not directly responsible, I feel like all of this is my fault.  Jiro’s been attacking more forcefully ever since I told you guys his plan.”</p><p>Hiei’s eyes softened slightly.  He didn’t care about the girl, but hearing another person try to take responsibility for the spineless Jiro did not sit well with him.  “Jiro is a coward,” he told her.  “He is the one attacking, and none of his actions are determined by yours.  He brought this upon himself.  Don’t make excuses for him.”</p><p>“O-“ Mizuki started to say taken aback by Hiei’s words.  “Okay…but I still feel responsible.”</p><p>Yusuke patted his shoulder on her back.  “Don’t sweat it, kid,” he remarked.  “Stuff like this happens all the time.  You just gotta accept it and move on.  Believe me; I’m not innocent.  None of us are.  Probably the only innocents involved in this are Kaiya and Yukina.”</p><p>Hiei’s expression darkened again before he resumed his pacing.  He hated the fact that he couldn’t see what was going on.  Screw the hour.  If he didn’t hear anything in fifteen minutes, he was going to burst into Spirit World and demand passage to the Greek city.  Whatever conditions Koenma made with Kaiya, whatever time he should be using to train, he didn’t care.  Making sure his sister and girlfriend were safe…that was all he could think about.</p><hr/><p>Toshi punched one of the slime piles and it went down without fail.  He went straight-faced at how easy this was, but when he heard Alexia’s painful cry he looked over to her.  She had proposed that he take on the sludge demons, but she opted to take on the two reptiles, and right now she was about to become lunch.</p><p>“Alexia!” he exclaimed, getting ready to launch into battle.  Before he could, the two other slime piles jumped on him.  The slime seemed to be draining him of whatever spirit power he had.  He couldn’t get them off of him as they began to encase his body.  “Damn it.”</p><p>Alexia looked over to him when he called and became aware of his predicament.  She was in the middle of her internal debate when he had called out to her.  She knew there was only one way for her to escape the demons, but she hadn’t been sure if she was willing to take that chance just for her sake.  Now that Toshi was in danger, she didn’t have a choice.</p><p>“Toshi, cover your ears!”</p><p>“Huh?” the seventeen year old questioned.  He looked at her serious expression and decided it was best not to question her.  Forcing his arms to his ears despite the black slime surrounding them, he did as he was told grimacing when he felt the sludge inside his ears.  <em>This is the most disgusting thing I’ve ever felt.</em></p><p>Now that his ears were covered, Alexia made her move kicking the demon who wasn’t holding her in the nose.  That distracted the lizard who was holding her enough to elbow his shoulder, effectively dislocating it on contact.</p><p>Hearing the lizard roar in pain didn’t faze her.  Unlike Kaiya, she had gotten into the mindset of assassin, and she was willing to do anything for victory.  As the two demons came her way, she opened her mouth wide and screeched as loud as she could.</p><p>Waves of sound visibly appeared, though Toshi kept his ears covered.  It sounded like a loud car alarm with his ears covered.  If he had released his hold, it would probably be much worse.  As the sludge retracted from him and the lizards began to bang their heads against the ground, he knew he was right.  Eventually the demons stopped their movements and lied dead on the ground.  The distant sound of the car alarm had ended.</p><p>Toshi determined that it was safe to remove his hands from his ears and looked over to where Alexia was standing.  She looked out of it, deep in thought.  The younger psychic was just wondering what she had done.  “So…how?”</p><p>Alexia’s expression hardened as she looked hatefully at the dead psychics.  All five of them returned to human form when they died.  More young men and women died because of their own blindness.  “I’m what is known as a ‘death siren,’” she told him.  “I have minimal control over water, but my main power comes from my voice.  What they just experienced was my Song of Death.  It’s the move I almost killed my cousin with when we were forced to fight in those classes, after she became a Saiyan.  Her hearing was so sensitive…I haven’t used this power since then.”</p><p>Toshi watched her spit on the bodies as she callously walked away.  Looking back to the dead psychics he shivered.  He was very lucky that Alexia had decided to give him warning.  “And I thought demons were scary…”</p><hr/><p>Back with Kiense and Kaiya, the two of them were now panting locked safely inside a church.  Kaiya was on her knees trying to catch her breath while her companion leaned against the wall.  Both of them were soaked from the storm, the water dripping into pools on the floor.</p><p>“I’m surprised you can even come in here,” Kaiya said through pants, attempting humor.  “Isn’t there some rule that prevents demons from going into churches?”</p><p>Kiense chuckled and shook his head.  “Only if they have malicious intent,” he explained, before grinning.  “And you’re thinking about vampires entering places without an invite.”</p><p>“Silly me,” she breathed as she finally rose from her spot on the floor.  “So that means, for example, if I brought Hiei into a church, he’d be okay?”</p><p>The fire demon nodded.  “Yeah, unless he decided to attack an innocent he would be fine.  Why do you ask?”</p><p>Kaiya smiled.  “It’s just nice to know that if the day ever came, we could get married in a church so that my grandmother wouldn’t haunt me for the rest of my very lengthened life.”</p><p>That caused Kiense to burst out laughing.  “Oh my God,” he managed to get out.  “You know Maya said the same thing to me recently.  Would it really be that bad if you didn’t?”</p><p>Kaiya became very serious for a moment and said, “If you had been there when our cousin, Nariko, announced she wasn’t getting married in a church when she did get married, you would understand.”</p><p>“Kind of glad I wasn’t.”  Then he looked outside through the glass of the door.  “Now about those demons…”</p><p>“Yeah, what was that?” Kaiya asked.  “I know he disappeared before he was in front of me, but he didn’t move straight, up in flight, or anything like that.  I have no idea what happened.”</p><p>“He used the shadow,” Kiense stated.</p><p>Kaiya’s eyes lit up in realization.  “Oh wow, that was Mika’s power!” she exclaimed.</p><p>Kiense nodded, seeing that the girl was catching on.  “His eyes were purple, a color very close to that of darkness.  That girl with the blue eyes was calm, though the rain beat down harder when she spoke.  I felt the heat coming from the red-eyed one, and I felt the chill from silver eyes.”</p><p>“Purple, darkness; blue, water; red, fire; silver, ice…they’re elementals!”</p><p>“Right,” Kiense replied.  “The color of their eyes reflects their powers, and they seem to be powers possessed by people you’ve known or know.  I’m going to assume the green demon will have abilities like Kurama, as in control of plants.  The yellow…I’m sorry, Kaiya, but I have to assume he has electric abilities.”</p><p>“Of course he does,” Kaiya muttered becoming straight-faced.  “Because being in this storm wasn’t enough.”</p><p>“I’ll deal with him,” Kiense said.  “He was pretty quiet.  I don’t know if it was because we instigated the shadow user or if he had nothing to stay.  As for the others, both of us should have no problem against the ice and plant wielders.”</p><p>“Never underestimate their abilities based on type alone,” Kaiya scolded.  “I know a very strong ice demon, and Kurama has beaten me in spars many times.”</p><p>“True,” Kiense murmured.  “But based on type, we’ll probably have more of a problem with both the water and fire users.  The shadow guy…we can only guess.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  She didn’t know how they were going to be able to take on six demons, but they were on their own.  Hopefully they could take them on by splitting them in half.  She was trying to think of a good strategy for dealing with the different types at once, but Kiense surprised her when he asked a question.</p><p>“What did green eyes mean when he was talking about Yukina?”</p><p>It was a valid question.  Truth be told, most of the group, who hadn’t been about of the spirit detective team in its early days or who hadn’t been told about the events like she had been, were very curious.  Whenever she was asked, she usually brushed it off.  Now, she didn’t see the harm in telling her sister’s boyfriend.</p><p>“Years ago, before I ever met the guys, heck…before Yusuke even became a demon, there was this guy named Tarukane,” she started.  “I only know because Hiei told me one time when I was crying.  This guy was this rich crime lord who enjoyed using demons to advance his wealth.  Somehow, he found out about ice maidens and the fact that their tears could crystallize to form gems.  Those hiruiseki stones went for millions in the black market, apparently.  The creep tortured her so that she would cry, and one of Yusuke’s cases was to rescue her.</p><p>“Hiei nearly killed the guy when he finally found her.  Tarukane had been trapping her with the use of talismans, and it blocked his Jagan from finding her.”</p><p>“Why didn’t he kill him?” Kiense asked.  “I know what the Spirit World laws are, but I still would have.”</p><p>“Yukina stopped him,” Kaiya answered.  “He didn’t want to be the reason she cried more.  Anyways, that green-eyed guy said he worked there and knew about it.  If he had had any decency in him, he would have let her go instead of becoming a demon hunter.  He pretty much turned the other cheek while a human tortured an innocent demon.”</p><p>“They don’t see us as people, unfortunately,” Kiense sighed.  “And that means one thing.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya stated.  “If we want to get out of here alive, we need to kill them.”</p><p>“Can you handle that?”</p><p>Kaiya looked to him and nodded.  “I’ve killed demon hunters before when I was attacked, in self-defense.  That’s what this is.”</p><p>“Alone?”</p><p>Kaiya froze.  No, whenever she had fought the demon hunters before, she knocked out a bunch of them and her friends dealt with the final blow.  She didn’t have a choice, though.  It was a fight to the death; the psychics made that clear.  “No,” she answered, “but our options are limited now.”</p><hr/><p>“Kazuma!”</p><p>Yukina ran to her mate after he and Marissa entered the villa.  Weak, low class demons had been attempting to break in, but they had never gotten the chance when the two psychics returned.  After the two defeated the demons, the demons returned to human form.  Spirit World cleanup was going to have a field day.  Koenma was going to have difficulties ruling everything, because the psychics were killed as demons before they reverted to human form.  Kuwabara hoped that Kaiya and Kiense wouldn’t get brought up on any charges for taking human life.  He, of course, did not know about Koenma’s deal with Hiei now that the whole truth was out.</p><p>“Thanks for the save, baby bro,” Shizuru stated.</p><p>“No problem,” Kuwabara said as he held Yukina in his arms.  “It’s a good thing we got here in time.  Has anyone heard from the others?”</p><p>Botan shook her head, looking increasingly worried.  “No one’s kept us informed.  Neither Kaiya nor Alexia answered when we tried them.  We tried Kaiya about forty-five minutes ago when Hiei called.”</p><p>“Shorty called the compact?” Kuwabara asked in shock.  “Why not just use telepathy?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Botan answered honestly before lightning flashed in the house and everyone grew solemn.</p><p>“We’re in a lot of trouble, aren’t we?” Marissa questioned.</p><p>“I don’t think Koenma meant for any of this to happen,” Botan stated, sidestepping the question.</p><p>“What is happening, exactly?” Yukina inquired.  “I mean, I know we were attacked, but what else is happening?”</p><p>“Well, Alexia just killed some demons,” Toshi said, him and Alexia having returned to the villa.  He looked around the ground and saw many dead psychics.  “And the same thing happened…”</p><p>“These experiments are sick,” Kuwabara muttered.</p><p>“So, my sister and my boyfriend are the only ones not accounted for?” Mayonaka asked, fear coming over her features.</p><p>“Now, now,” Botan said patting the girl’s back.  “They’re still alive.  As the chief ferry girl, I can at least tell you that.”</p><p>“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”</p><p>Kuwabara looked around at the ground, silently pitying the dead psychics though knowing they had chosen it.  He realized it when he was fighting them.  He could feel it in their attacks.  Their emotions did not reflect people who didn’t know what was happening to them.  “Toshi, Alexia, Marissa,” he started, “do you think you can hold down the fort here?  I’m going out to look for Kaiya and Kiense and make sure they’re okay.”</p><p>“Yeah, we’ve got this,” Toshi said.  “Just be careful out there.”</p><p>“Right.”  He looked over to Yukina and smiled.  “Stay safe.”  Yukina returned his grin and nodded before he took his leave from the house.  Botan took it upon herself to lock the door.</p><hr/><p>“Are you ready?” Kiense asked.  “They’re waiting for us outside.”</p><p>Lightning flickered across Kaiya’s face.  Her expression of dread was illuminated by the beam.  “Not really, but I don’t think I ever will be, so let’s just get it over with.”</p><p>Kiense nodded to her before the two of them made their way out the front door.  The six hunters were spaced about, each hiding near something related to their element.</p><p>“Well, well,” the shadow hunter murmured as he stood in the shadow of the building, his feet residing in the shadow as he floated.  “Look who finally decided to come out.  I hope you enjoyed your moment’s peace.  Now the real fun begins.”</p><p>Kiense looked at the six.  The fire hunter was standing near a streetlamp that strangely enough held a candle.  It illuminated his black face.  He was standing closer to the shadow demon and the lightning demon, on his side.  On the side where Kaiya was standing were the ice, plant, and water hunter.  He was hoping that it would come out like this.  Kaiya would have an easier time with those three if she took off in the opposite direction like they had planned.</p><p>“We’ll be honorable and let you two make the first move,” the female, water hunter stated.</p><p>“There is nothing honorable about ganging up on two fighters,” Kaiya stated.  “One on one is how real warriors fight.”</p><p>“We’re just supposed to wait turns?” the red-eyed hunter scoffed.  “What a waste of time.  No one fights like that.  Besides, what would demon trash like you know about honor?”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t grace him with a response.  Her words would only fall on deaf ears.  After her memory had been restored to her, she remembered everything Vegeta had ever told her about the Saiyans.  They were a true warrior race.  The purging was questionable, but from what Vegeta had always said, true battles were fought one on one.  Even from the memories she saw of him and Nappa on Earth, they only fought one at a time.  Of course, the Earthlings they were fighting needed to pull together to match up to them, but that wasn’t an act of cowardice.  It was necessity.  These hunters could destroy them if all six of them attacked the two of them at once.</p><p>“Enough stalling,” the ice hunter snapped.  “It’s time to end this.”</p><p>“Hold up.”</p><p>Kaiya had never felt so much relief before than she did at seeing Kuwabara standing there.  With him there, the three of them could take on two of them and that would be a better option.  “Who is he?” the yellow-eyed demon finally spoke up.</p><p>Kaiya and Kiense looked over to him with wide eyes.  He sounded calm, kind even, and that was something they hadn’t been expecting.  The being didn’t even sound remotely threatening.</p><p>“Kazuma Kuwabara’s the name,” he answered.  “And those are my friends you have backed against a wall.  That hardly seems fair.  Man to man…that’s how real men fight.”</p><p>“Not another one,” the fire wielder growled.  “These annoyances are beginning to irritate me.”</p><p>“That was redundant,” Kaiya said under her breath making Kiense chuckle.</p><p>“What’s so funny, demon?” the shadow user snapped.  “Last I checked you were not in the position to laugh.”</p><p>Kaiya quickly informed Kuwabara on the plan: that she and Kiense had planned on splitting up hoping that the demons would split up after them.  Unfortunately, since Kuwabara was not a demon, the hunters probably wouldn’t go after him unless he did something to anger them.</p><p>“Ouch! What the hell?” the fire demon yelped before glaring daggers at Kuwabara.  “You brat!  What was that?”</p><p>Kuwabara smirked having manipulated his sword to attack from long distance, though somehow keeping it invisible like a move he had seen in a previous battle, the Invisible Slash.  He had been working on that move ever since the drama with Jiro had started once again.  “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.”</p><p>“Rodney, relax!” the plant guy exclaimed.  “He’s just trying to rattle you!”  Kuwabara took that as the opportunity to attack him too.  “Ack! Why you!”</p><p>Rodney snickered.  “Haha, come on, Eric,” he jeered.  “He’s just trying to rattle you.  Ouch!”</p><p>Kuwabara kept attacking the two with invisible energy to the point where they broke away from the group and started to go after him.  “Run!” he exclaimed causing Kaiya to take off and Kiense to head in the opposite direction.  It would take a while for him to defeat the psychic-demons he had just pissed off, but he didn’t plan on losing.  There was too much at stake.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya used her speed to her advantage.  Fighting with Hiei over the years had made her faster than many.  Even Vegeta had commended her on her speed while training before.  Her only problem was her offensive streak, and that was something she was working on.  Hopefully she had made enough progress to help her through this fight.  She still had her “uncle” to confront.</p><p>The water and ice fighter were the ones to go after her since they were the closest.  The two of them seemed very in sync, which Kaiya observed when they nearly caused her speed to be useless.  The woman used her ability to layer the water under Kaiya’s feet just for the ice user to freeze the surface.  As Kaiya began to slip, she awkwardly took flight to get away from them.  She would have to thank Vegeta for teaching her to manipulate her ki.</p><p>The ice wielder breathed into his hands creating small arrows that he launched at her.  They came at her so fast, she almost couldn’t dodge them.  It almost reminded her of the Shards of Winter move Touya used often back when she trained at Genkai’s.  Momentarily lost in thought, Kaiya shook it off.  She knew she needed to focus and take the offensive if she wanted this battle to be over.  She couldn’t run forever.</p><p>Something in her mind snapped in that moment.  After all the training sessions she had had with Vegeta, he had been trying to bang that idea into her head (sometimes literally).  She had always played it on the safe side, and that had gotten her killed.  She continued to run and avoid confrontation, but it was there.  She wasn’t playing the defensive; she was truly running away from her problems, something a Saiyan should never do.</p><p>Her fears momentarily dissipated as her eyes narrowed into a glare.  She looked down to her two opponents and then landed in the spot right underneath her.  She flared her flames at her feet, melting the ice back to water and crossed her arms.</p><p>“So,” she stated firmly, “what are the names of the people I’m about to beat?”</p><p>“A little cocky for someone who just spent the last fifteen minutes trying to escape,” the ice wielder taunted.  “It’s Aethos.”</p><p>“And I’m Athene,” the woman replied.</p><p>“Not Athena?” Kaiya asked with a quirked brow.</p><p>“My mother didn’t want me to have an incredibly common name,” she returned.  “Wait, why am I telling you this?  I’m not getting chummy with a demon.”</p><p>“Suit yourself,” Kaiya nonchalantly countered.  “I’m not exactly looking to make friends tonight either.  Not with those who think it’s okay to torture others because they don’t like their lineage.”</p><hr/><p>Kiense had gotten the two demons away from where Kuwabara was fighting.  The shadow user seemed too eager, but the one he was assuming to be using electric abilities looked saddened.</p><p>“I will end you,” purple eyes declared.  “And then I’ll destroy whoever is left on your pathetic team.”</p><p>“Most of them are human psychics and Spirit World employ,” Kiense retorted, crossing his arms.  “Do you really think it’s wise to go after those who are so important?”</p><p>“If they side with demons, they die,” was the reply.</p><p>Kiense saw the yellow-eyed hunter shake his head.  Then, out of nowhere, an electrical blast shot through the chest of the shadow demon.  The demon coughed out blood and slowly fell to the ground.  As he returned to his human form, he looked up at the other man.  “E-Eiji, why?”</p><p>The yellow-eyed demon, apparently named Eiji, sighed.  “Because, Katsu, you were losing your humanity.  If you had gone through with it, you would have become as bad as the demons who brought you here.”</p><p>The violet hue disappeared from the boy’s eyes, the look over betrayal ever present until his eyes closed and his flaccid body hit the ground.  Kiense stared at the dead psychic in shock and turned back to Eiji.  “Why?” he asked, repeating the boy’s question.</p><p>“I did not know what I was signing up for,” Eiji admitted.  “The other five did, but I had no idea.  I never meant to become a demon, nor did I plan on hunting absolutely every demon out there.  There are some demon hunters who get it, that there are good demons looking out for our world assisting Reikai with the more problematic ones.  When I heard how the girl responded to Eric’s story of the ice maiden…I knew.  I knew who you all were.”</p><p>“That’s why you didn’t speak,” Kiense stated causing the man to nod.  He tossed him a small, black, cubed device.  Kiense looked at him questioningly.</p><p>“It’s the key to where Edward is located,” he explained.  “He’s expecting the six of us to return once you’re all dead.”</p><p>“Where will you go now?” the fire demon inquired.</p><p>Eiji just grinned slightly, his yellow eyes gleaming with mirth.  “Perhaps I’ll go to Demon World after all,” he said jovially.  “It’s gotta be better than this hellish place.”</p><p>Kiense chuckled before the man disappeared from his view.  That whole thing had definitely been unexpected, but it was welcome.  Now that two of the six were out of the way, he could go assist Kuwabara and Kaiya.  Hopefully neither of them would have to make a kill they were not ready for, Kaiya especially.  He was pretty sure she never had to make that choice before.</p><hr/><p>Kuwabara had somehow managed to defeat the two guys he was fighting.  They were strong, but nowhere near the level of opponents he had fought in the past.  Still, it would have been bad had the six ganged up on the two original fighters.  The human was glad he got there in enough time.  There was no doubt in his mind that Hiei would have destroyed him if either Yukina or Kaiya did not make it home from this.  He already made the mistake of leaving Yukina alone.  He wasn’t going to do the same to Kaiya.</p><p>And the guy with the green eyes…he had recognized him and panicked causing him to make innumerable mistakes.  The fire guy, Rodney, had just about killed the other guy himself.  It would have served him right, though, for saying that torturing demons are okay because they aren’t human.  Kuwabara had seen more than those two could have hoped to see in a lifetime, and he knew there was no black or white, but gray.  If demon hunters could accept that, then there wouldn’t be this pointless fighting and bloodshed.</p><p>“Kuwabara!”</p><p>The human turned to see Kiense running to him looking like he hadn’t even been touched in a fight and smiled.  “You must have gotten them good.”</p><p>Kiense shook his head.  “Didn’t have to.” When Kuwabara’s eyes filled with questions, Kiense said, “We can talk about it later.  Right now we need to find Kaiya.  Can you sense where she is?”</p><p>Kuwabara focused his energy and could feel tension rising from the opposite direction.  “Yeah, I can feel where she is.”</p><p>“Good,” Kiense said, “then let’s go before she needs to make a decision she’ll regret.”</p><hr/><p>Athene was watching Kaiya and Aethos square off.  Kaiya seemed as still as a statue, her fists ready for a fight, though she had her guard up completely.  Aethos was observing the girl, walking around her but keeping his distance.  He was trying to find an unguarded point.  There wasn’t one.</p><p>No one spoke as the rain continued to beat down on the pavement.  The only thing that Kaiya noticed was that the lightning had finally subsided.  At least she would be able to fight without her fear getting in the way.</p><p>“Your stance is flawless,” Aethos praised.  “I’m actually impressed.”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t respond to the compliment.  She didn’t need this guy’s ego stroking to know that her defense was impeccable.  Instead she was searching for an opening.  Despite the opponent’s lackadaisical stride, he was prepared for her attack whatever it would be.  Aethos frowned when the girl did not respond to him and stopped circling her.  The silence between the three people in the town square was more deafening than the rain.  It was a true standoff.</p><p>But it was growing tiresome for both parties.</p><p>Kaiya turned to face the ice fighter and glared at him as he smirked at her.  “I asked earlier,” she said.  “Why are you doing this?  We are on the same side.  All we want is peace, and the best way for that is to believe that others can change.  Have you even been attacked by a demon in the last three years?”</p><p>Athene’s eyes widened at the question because, when she thought of it, the answer was “no.”  She had not been paying attention to how long the last demon attack had been.  For some reason, though, it made her angry.  She wanted answers.  “Explain, demon.”</p><p>“Athene, what are you doing?” Aethos questioned.  “Why not just end her?  These conversations are just stall tactics.”</p><p>“There was a tournament three years ago that will be taking place again soon,” Kaiya explained.  “The winner of the tournament is the law for three years.  The winner three years ago mandated that demons coexist with humans instead of attacking them.  It’s against demon law now to attack a human for the fun of it.  I don’t want to fight either of you.  I would rather coexist peacefully and fight whatever demons threaten to destroy the balance, and I will fight the demon hunters that continue to think torturing demons is okay.  We won’t harm you if you don’t harm us.”</p><p>“Why should we believe you?” Aethos demanded.  “For all we know, you are lying.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Kaiya stated firmly.  “If I was, I would have taken advantage of your interest and killed you.  Let’s be rational, please.  It’s bad enough I have a twisted relative to fight later.  We are seriously just bringing him in to Spirit World for questioning.  We never wanted a bloodbath.”</p><p>“Aethos, I believe her,” Athene whispered.</p><p>“I don’t,” was all the man said before he charged at Kaiya.</p><p>Kaiya backed into her stance, ready to defend herself, and managed to flip the man before he landed a punch on her.  He was on his back, her standing over her with her arms crossed.  “If I wanted to kill you, I would blast you right now.  You’re outmatched in terms of physical combat, and I can beat your ice with my fire.  Just surrender and I will gladly walk away from this.”</p><p>“Never, demon.”</p><p>Aethos held out his hands forming a triangle with his fingers.  He cried out as he forced his spirit energy to his palms, shooting a close-range, ice beam at Kaiya.  The hybrid countered by raising her youkai and ki, both containing heat.  As the ice made contact with her energy shield, it dissipated, water splashing back on all sides.  The psychic-demon just stared at the girl in shock.</p><p>Kaiya’s eyes were narrowed, though she looked bored.  “You done?  Because I really feel like this is a waste of all of our time and energy.”</p><p>“Aethos, please,” Athene pleaded.</p><p>“Shut up, Athene!” Aethos snapped as he bounced back to his feet.  “This demon is going to die, whether she likes it or not.”</p><p>“Because that’s new,” Kaiya muttered, under her breath, mentally recounting the time she had died.</p><p>She knew that this hunter was never going to listen to her, so she only had one choice.  Pulling her hands together, the girl began to power up a rose-colored, ki beam.  About to release her attack, Kaiya aimed for her opponent’s core.  To her shock, someone had beaten her to it.</p><p>Kiense had been amazed by Kuwabara’s tracking ability.  They had gotten to the square just in time.  As soon as they reached the locale, they had heard Aethos’ declaration.  When Kaiya readied herself to attack, Kiense sprang into action.  Before the girl could follow through with her attack, the fire demon had blown a hole through the ice demon’s core.</p><p>“You were saying?” he said cruelly, in response to his threat against his friend.</p><p>Aethos coughed up blood which spattered on the ground in front of him.  The psychic looked up to the girl, whose ki attack had disappeared, and saw the horrified look on her face.  It had never occurred to him that the girl hadn’t seen such a gruesome act before but, as he looked into her eyes, all he could see was a childlike innocence.</p><p>“Kaiya,” Kiense said from behind the demon, “are you alright?”</p><p>The girl’s face drained of all color as she stuttered an answer.  “Y-y-yeah, I-I’m okay…”</p><p>Kiense shook his head and sighed.  “And you think you would have been able to handle this on your own…  At least you won’t have to worry about Koenma.  If he’s going to punish anyone for this, it’ll be me.”</p><p>“Kiense…” Kaiya breathed out awkwardly.  She had really thought she could do it, until she saw the flames protrude through the man’s body.</p><p>“I…I finally see,” the psychic rasped as his form became more human.  “You…really weren’t…lying.”</p><p>When he fell to the ground, Kiense stepped back.  “I hate these sneak attacks,” he stated, “but I’m finding them very necessary.”</p><p>“Aethos…”</p><p>The two demons and Kuwabara all looked to the last remaining psychic-demon.  She was on her knees, tears cascading down her face.  “He…he was my husband.”</p><p>Though the lightning was over, Kaiya felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body.  She decided to go confront the woman and attempt to comfort her.  She ignored both Kiense’s and Kuwabara’s protests as she knelt down in front of the crying psychic.  “I’m…sorry.”</p><p>The woman chuckled bitterly when she heard the apology.  “You’re apologizing to me?  We should have listened.”</p><p>“You did listen,” Kaiya returned.  “You tried to stop him.  I know that you’re in pain now, but trust me when I say that life goes on.  You can move forward from this.”</p><p>“Unbelievable,” Athene whispered.  “You truly are an innocent soul, aren’t you? You truly believe that all bad things will work out.”</p><p>“If I didn’t, I’d go insane,” Kaiya joked with a soft chuckle.  “If you knew everything going on in my life right now, you’d probably just commit me for telling such an outlandish story.  But yes, I do believe everything will work out.  The day I believe it doesn’t is the day it won’t.”</p><p>The blue-eyed woman looked up at the young girl, astonished by the girl’s words.  “You amaze me.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled slightly before standing up.  The woman followed suit.  There was a comforting silence, but eventually the silence needed to end.</p><p>“Hey,” Kuwabara called out, “we need to get going.  This mission is almost up.”</p><p>Kaiya became serious again and nodded.  “Right,” she responded.</p><p>“The good news is no one else has to die,” Kiense stated.  “We have to bring Edward in for questioning meaning we don’t have to kill him.”  He turned to Athene.  “As for you, one of your colleagues decided to take refuge in Demon World given his new appearance.  You can choose to join him or you can go back to Japan with them.  I’m sure Genkai wouldn’t mind housing another demon.”</p><p>Athene sucked in a breath of air, hesitating in her answer.  “M-Maybe…maybe I should see what it’s like on the other side,” she stated before eyeing Kaiya.  “If it’s really as different as you say, then I want to see it for myself.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded in understanding.  “I hope you can find happiness with yourself.  I have to say, being a demon really isn’t that bad.  You might like it.”</p><p>The woman smiled sadly at the innocent girl before she disappeared.  Once she was gone, the rain stopped immediately startling the three remaining.  “I guess they were responsible for the weather,” Kiense hypothesized.  “The lightning left with the other guy.”</p><hr/><p>Hiei had waited an hour, clenching his teeth and pacing the entire time.  He needed answers.  He needed to know why he couldn’t see anything.  He needed to make sure that Kaiya and Yukina were okay.</p><p>Spirit World was quiet, no ogres bustling as per normal.  Where everyone was, Hiei didn’t know.  He didn’t care.  He only had one goal in mind.</p><p>He slammed the door to Koenma’s office open and saw the majority of Spirit World’s staff standing behind the baby deity’s desk.  No wonder things were so screwed up.  For everyone to take a break at one time to watch whatever was flashing on Koenma’s screen…Hiei shook his head not wanting to finish his thought.</p><p>“Hello, Hiei,” Koenma greeted.</p><p>“Why can’t I see or sense them?  What’s going on?”</p><p>Koenma motioned for him to enter the room.  “Just watch.  I don’t know why you can’t see or sense them, but I can assure you they’re all right.  If you want, you can stay for the duration of the mission.”</p><p>“I don’t need your permission,” Hiei growled as he leaned against Koenma’s deck and crossed his arms.  His eyes widened when he looked at the screen and saw that Kaiya was truly okay and unharmed, and also very wet.</p><p>
  <em>“Okay, what the heck happened here?” Kuwabara questioned.  “I only know you guys got ganged up on.  What happened, and why were you all standing outside of a church?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaiya sighed and ran her hand through her wet hair.  “Well, after we all split up, Kiense and I got cornered by six guys.  I irritated the guy with the purple eyes to get an opening for us to run.  Kiense said the church would protect us from any demon with malicious intent.  Now, what happened to you?  You look a mess.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kuwabara looked to Kaiya nervously before he grew serious.  “We shouldn’t have left the girls and kids unprotected.  Some weak psychic-demons went after them.  Marissa and I got there just in time.  Toshi and Alexia came back before I left.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How did Alexia seem?” Kaiya questioned in alarm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Not good…”  When Kaiya shifted nervously, Kuwabara asked, “What? What do you know?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know her dad is going to use whatever happened tonight against her,” Kaiya answered.  “Kiense, what happened with your fight?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I never fought,” the fire demon answered.  “The guy with electric powers had no qualms with us, and he killed the shadow guy because he said his ‘humanity was leaving him.’  It was quite the shock.  Sounds like you got to that girl as well.  What did you tell her?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I told her demons just want to peacefully coexist with humans and that I didn’t want to fight either of them,” she explained.  “I’m…thank you, Kiense.  I…I thought I could make a kill, but I can’t.  I can get a guy down, but I can’t bring myself to…to…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“To do what Jiro wanted you to do,” Kiense finished for her.  When Kaiya nodded solemnly, he said, “You and Mayonaka will never have to make a kill with all of us around.  Jiro will never get what he wanted from you.”</em>
</p><p>Hiei’s grip on his arms tightened.  They had no idea what Jiro truly wanted from the girls.  They all just assumed that his major goal was to make his daughters killers by trading one of them to a tyrant.  Instead, he didn’t care what happened to one of them.  He just wanted Kaiya dead.</p><p>
  <em>“So now what?” Kuwabara asked.  “I mean, do we just run into more combat and go to the guy’s hideout?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No,” Kaiya answered.  “We go back to the house first and make sure everyone is okay.  I mean, I didn’t sense any others out there while I was fighting, but after hearing what that jerk said I want to make sure Yukina is okay.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, I do too,” Kuwabara agreed as he thought back to one of the jerks he had defeated.  “By the way, she said Hiei called for you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He did?” Kaiya nearly yelped in shock.  “W-Why didn’t he contact me with telepathy?”  Kuwabara answered with a shrug while Kaiya attempted to reach out to Hiei.  For some reason, she was met with a barrier and couldn’t contact or feel anyone.  She groaned slightly, feeling the pain of her attempt, and grabbed her head.  Kiense prevented her from falling over.  “Something’s blocking that power,” she informed them.  “I don’t trust it.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Neither do I,” Kiense murmured.  “We need to regroup.  Let’s go back.”</em>
</p><hr/><p>When they entered the house, Kaiya’s mouth dropped open seeing all the dead bodies of the psychic.  “I swear; Koenma better do a good cleanup job or whoever you guys rented this place from is calling the cops.”</p><p>“Kaiya!”</p><p>Yukina was the first to run over to her and hug her, Kaiya returning the hug.  “Hey, Yukina.  Are you okay?”</p><p>The ice maiden nodded while looking Kaiya over.  Kaiya chuckled silently thinking it appropriate that innocent girl would be more concerned about her than herself.  It was something the hybrid could relate to.  She simply put her hands on Yukina’s shoulders and said, “I’m fine, Yukina.  Don’t worry.”</p><p>“Oh, right, Kaiya,” Botan called out.  “Hiei called the compact.  He wanted to talk to you.  Why didn’t you answer yours?”</p><p>Kaiya just stared at the ferry girl like she had lost her mind.  “Botan, that one is mine…”</p><p>Botan looked to the device and then back to Kaiya before smiling jovially and laughing.  “Oh, silly me.  No wonder I couldn’t call you, ha ha ha…”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head in disbelief.  There was no way someone could be that airheaded in the middle of all of this.  “Okay, just let me call Hiei and we can go.”</p><p>“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Alexia jabbed.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Kaiya questioned.</p><p>“Whatever he has to say will probably only distract you from the mission,” Alexia pointed out.  “It’s better to just wait.  I mean, it’ll give you something to live for, right?”</p><p>“Not this again,” Kaiya muttered.  “Alexia, I don’t think like you do.  It might distract me; it might not.  And there is always something to live for.  Even if I called him now, I would still have him, my family, my friends, and my education to live for.”</p><p>“I love how education made it in there,” Shizuru teased.  “That’s a refreshing change.  Baby bro, follow her lead.”</p><p>“Shut up, sis.  You know I’ve been keeping up.”</p><p>“You don’t need any more distractions,” Alexia continued, ignoring the sibling banter.</p><p>“I’m fine, Lexi,” Kaiya replied forcefully.  “Seriously, why are you acting like this?”</p><p>“Because I need you to be focused in case I won’t be,” Alexia whispered in her ear as the Kuwabara siblings continued their argument.</p><p>Kaiya turned to look her cousin in the eye.  Alexia looked horrible, like she was arguing with herself mentally like Kaiya had done after she found out Jiro was a demon hunter.  There was only one other time Kaiya had seen the girl this upset.  “You used your power,” she said knowingly.  “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I’m not the one the power was used on,” Alexia scoffed.  “They had it coming.  What I’m concerned about is my dad’s power.  The fact that I needed to use the power…Kaiya, he’s going to use the memory of when it went out of control against me.  Whatever Hiei has to say to you, good or bad, needs to wait.  Whatever he tells you will leave you with a fear.  If it’s bad news, you’ll be worried about him.  If it’s good news, you’ll be worried about getting back to him.  Just ignore the news for now.  Please.  You need to stay focused.”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head.  “Lexi, we’re going to get through this.  We’ll find a way to combat his power.  We’re going to need to work together if we want to get out of this.  He can’t attack both of us at once, right?”</p><p>“Not to my knowledge, but-“</p><p>“So we should be fine.  If he attacks you, I’ll fight.  If he attacks me, you fight.  We just need to apprehend him for questioning.”</p><p>“You make it sound so easy,” Alexia sighed.</p><p>“That’s because I’ve dealt with much more difficult.”</p><p>“-you know the internship took up a lot of my time!” Kuwabara muttered.  “Now it’s become a job, but still.  I’m almost done with school.  Lay off, sis!”</p><p>“Are you guys done arguing about schooling?” Mayonaka whined.  “You’re as bad as Kaiya was with me, Shizuru.”</p><p>Kaiya rolled her eyes at the comment.  “So what are we doing?” she asked bringing attention back to the end of the mission.  “We know where to go.”</p><p>“We have the key to get there,” Kiense said taking out the small artifact.</p><p>“Kaiya and I are going,” Alexia stated.  “Everyone else should stay here.”</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Kuwabara spoke up.  “Look, I know you have trust issues and that you want the mission to go down perfectly, but has anything happened like we planned?  You two need backup.  You don’t know what this guy has planned.”</p><p>“Kuwabara and I will join you,” Kiense stated, “in case you need us.  Hopefully this will go down as we hope.”</p><p><em>Tell me about it, </em>Kaiya thought to herself as she looked out the window.</p><hr/><p>“I have to say, Hiei,” Koenma started, “Kaiya really knows how to give a good pep talk.”</p><p>“Shut up, <em>toddler</em>,” Hiei jeered.  “It’s your fault she’s in this mess.”</p><p>“I won’t disagree,” the Reikai ruler sighed, “but she is handling herself well.  Even though she doesn’t like to fight with her abilities, she makes up for it with words.  I can see why you two complement each other.”</p><p>“I don’t know what part of ‘shut up’ you don’t understand, but my patience is wearing thin,” Hiei huffed.  “I need guarantees.  She’s not going through this again.”</p><p>“No,” Koenma agreed.</p><p>“And the tournament?” Hiei pressed.</p><p>“You don’t have to participate, unless you want to.  If that means waiting until she’s ready to go to Demon World, then I’ll have to live with one less demon fighting for Human World.”</p><p>Hiei looked over to the small prince and glowered at him.  “Jiro.”</p><p>“He will be dealt with accordingly,” Koenma said nervously.</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>Koenma observed Hiei as the fire demon’s head turned back to the screen.  It was hard to believe that after all of the years, almost two years short of a decade, that he had known him he was finally showing a sensitive side.  He still had his attitude and strength, but he went from a demon who desired to destroy Human World to one who was now living there for a girl he once thought human.  The Reikai prince guessed that was how “soul mates” worked.  It didn’t matter who they were; they just worked.</p><p>He too looked back to the screen waiting to see out the rest of the mission.  It was his duty as overseer, after all, to see it through to its entirety no matter the outcome.  For his own sake, and for the sake of his spirit detectives, he hoped it was smooth sailing from then on.</p><hr/><p>A hot shower was exactly what Vegeta needed after the past twenty-four hours.  The scalding water relieved any lingering tension he was feeling.  He still couldn’t believe what had happened between him and the woman, but slowly he was remembering what set him off.  The way she had been looking at him, with kindness and understanding, had been what ignited strange feelings inside of him.  Whatever it was, though, would not be happening again.  He had other things to worry about, after all.  The woman was not on that list.</p><p>Jiro, however, was, him and all of his misdeeds against the Saiyans.</p><p>That troublesome human ridiculed him and undermined his race.  He had made an unforgivable deal with Frieza which had ultimately backfired.  Planet Vegeta’s destruction had been his suggestion for the sole reason that he saw some vision of his daughter most likely with Saiyan abilities and a tail.  He hadn’t even known much about his race before suggesting its end just like he didn’t even really know the girl, his daughter, whom he was so desperate to kill.  If Jiro expected to walk out of this conflict alive, he had another thing coming.  Regardless of whatever the Spirit World prince had decided, Vegeta wouldn’t have listened.  Jiro would have been dead in lieu of anyone else’s opinion.</p><p>Meanwhile, Kaiya was still in Greece fighting for her life, or so everyone believed.  Vegeta assumed, if that were true, he would be able to sense her emotions, but he couldn’t.  His sister was strangely silent. He didn’t believe anything was wrong.  If anything had happened to her, he would have sensed her pain or fear through the strange, telepathic connection.  So, all that meant to him was that she was fine, alive and well, and there was no reason to think otherwise.  He could focus on his early morning training in peace.</p><hr/><p>“Is anyone else concerned that we’ve been going for almost twenty-four hours without a break?” Kaiya joked as she, Alexia, Kuwabara, and Kiense headed to the central office of the demon hunters.  She was trying to lighten the mood before they went into battle.</p><p>Alexia just rolled her eyes.  “Did anyone ever tell you that your sarcasm doesn’t count as humor?”</p><p>“Depends on the person,” Kaiya retorted smugly.  “Usually I don’t hear that.”</p><p>“I can’t believe we’re almost done here,” Kuwabara marveled.  “I mean, we just have to fight one more guy and that’s it.  I thought we were going to be here for weeks.”</p><p>“Which means only one thing,” Alexia told him.  “Kaiya and I anticipated this mission to last for weeks also.  The fact that it’s only been a couple days means this whole thing was planned.”</p><p>“Jiro knew we were here,” Kaiya told them.  “So he probably warned Edward and that’s why we were led to this point.”</p><p>“Right,” Alexia agreed.  “Getting the information was too easy. The attacks were easy.  Finding him and being given the key, all too easy.  This fight will not be easy.”</p><p>“That’s just the doubt talking,” Kaiya pointed out.  “We’re going to win.  I just know it.”</p><p>“Kaiya is right,” Kiense stated.  “And then when this is all over, we should plan an actual vacation.  I feel like I aged in these last few days.”</p><p>“You age?” Kaiya teased, knowing full well demons had a significantly long lifespan.</p><p>Alexia sighed in exasperation.  “More sarcasm…”</p><p>Kiense took the key he had been given and saw that the door had a space shaped like a three-dimensional diamond.  He inserted the cube into the slot and the door opened instantly revealing two paths.  “Both lead to the same place; however, only two can cross through each,” Kuwabara said, his awareness cluing him in to the rules of the game.</p><p>“He wants to split us up,” Kiense gathered.  “That bothers me.”</p><p>“We just have to go with it,” Kaiya stated.  “If it leads us to the same place, then we should all meet up with him around the same time.  Lexi and I will take the right hall; you boys take the left.”</p><p>Kuwabara and Kiense both nodded to her and silently started walking down the left corridor.  Kaiya looked to Lexi and frowned when she saw the girl looking fearfully down the tunnel.  “You have to trust me, Lex,” she said softly.</p><p>“It’s not you that I don’t trust,” was all her cousin replied before they began to walk down the other hall.</p><hr/><p>Hiei was feeling uneasy.  He couldn’t help but agree with Alexia; something about this whole setup was way too easy.  Edward knew they were coming and probably had some sort of trap waiting for them, and the group had no choice but to willingly enter into it.  If they wanted to finish the mission, they had to charge head-on regardless of whether or not they were ready.</p><p>He developed a habit of tapping his pointer finger against his arm when nervous, though only those who knew him would have noticed the nervous tick, especially since it only happened when one of two people were in danger (which thankfully wasn’t that often).  “Hiei,” Koenma called cautiously, “are you all right?”</p><p>“Fine,” the fire demon lied.  He just wanted the mission to be over.  Screw the traps and this demon hunter.  All they had to do was apprehend him.  Four against one had to make that easy.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya and Alexia were the first to enter a dark, metallic room.  It almost reminded Kaiya of the throne room on Frieza’s ship, though the floor was silver and the walls had a violet hue to them.</p><p>“I was hoping you two would be first,” a voice said from out of nowhere.  Just then, a clear, plasma-like shield was erected and blocked the path to both hallways.  “Now, the fun can begin.”</p><p>The girls looked up on to the stage that seemed to take up the majority of the room.  They had to be in some kind of auditorium for meetings and whatever else the demon hunters did.  Edward was wearing the black cape that all demon hunters seemed to fashion, though he had his hood down revealing him to his fullest.</p><p>Despite not being a blood relative, Edward shared Jiro’s dirty-blonde hair; his teal eyes, those that matched Alexia’s, were gleaming with both mirth and something Kaiya hadn’t seen in a long time.  It was the look that Frieza held in his eyes when he beat her, what Kiense’s alternate’s held when he burned her, and what Jiro’s held when he killed her.  <em>Great, another sadist, </em>Kaiya mentally muttered to herself.  Kiense was right.  After this, she was taking a vacation.</p><p>“Daughter, it’s been far too long,” he said in a sickeningly sweet voice that made both girls cringe.  “And Kaiya, I can’t say it’s a pleasure to meet you, though I will take pleasure in eliminating you once and for all.”</p><p>“Does every villain have to say cliché lines this?” Kaiya mocked.  “Seriously, the sadistically veiled threats are kind of old, don’t you think?  Let’s just get on with this.  You know why we’re here, correct?”</p><p>Edward chuckled.  “Something about taking me to Spirit World for questioning, but I already know what they’re going to ask.  I’ll tell you now and then you won’t even have to worry about taking me in.  Your prince will get his answers and I will end both of you and the others that accompanied you here.  Of course, I’ll start with the demons, like that little girl that’s with you.  I believe Jiro said that was the sister of your demon boyfriend.”</p><p>Kaiya’s eyes narrowed at the hunter.  “Okay, now you crossed a line,” she remarked.  “Don’t even bring Yukina into this.  As for your answers, save it.  We <em>will </em>be bringing you in for questioning whether you like it or not.”</p><p>“Ah, determination,” Edward mused.  “A good quality to have, especially when it comes to fighting, but it won’t help you here.”</p><p>Kaiya didn’t react to the words, ready to pounce instead and go on the offensive.  The scream of her cousin stopped her in her tracks making her blood run cold.  The hybrid lost focus on her attack turning her attention to Alexia who was kneeling in the ground in a fetal position as black smokescreen-like clouds surrounded her.  When Kaiya realized the girl was shaking, she knew what was happening and again turned her attention to the attacker.</p><p>“How could you attack your own daughter like that?” she snapped.</p><p>Edward grinned maliciously and chuckled darkly.  “The same way yours could you.  The girl is a traitor to me, and in the way.  Both of you will just be more collateral damage in the demon hunters’ true uprising.  It’s nothing personal, just business.”</p><p>“Did Jiro teach you that mantra?” Kaiya murmured in irritation, knowing he probably had.  <em>I still don’t know how I’m related to that guy, </em>she thought bitterly before she was hit with a large body of water.  The water body had felt like one of those balloon clowns beating down on a weak child.  Kaiya hated being caught off-guard, but she realized that she needed to concentrate on the fight at hand to get Alexia out of her father’s power.  Until she could beat the guy, she worried her cousin would be trapped in her fears.  Still, that would not stop the optimist from trying to get through to her friend.</p><p>Springing into battle, Kaiya managed to punch through the snake-like water bubble in the sky with a powerful punch before landing a few punches on her opponent.  She hadn’t really fought in close combat before since most of her abilities were long distance.  The only times that came close was when Hiei was teaching her the art of swordsmanship and more recently with Vegeta.  With what she had learned from both of them, she knew she could defeat this guy easily without her long-range attacks.</p><p>Edward was shocked by the speed the girl possessed, as many others were.  He was struggling to block her punches, getting grazed by the girl’s fists against his shoulders, sides, and face.  Fighting this girl wasn’t going to be easy; fighting his daughter would be child’s play.  That meant only one thing: he needed to redirect the attack on Alexia to Kaiya and, to do that, he needed to concentrate.</p><p>“Lexi,” Kaiya called out to her cousin, “we’re going to be okay.  Just hang in there.  I’ll get us out of this.”</p><p>Edward continued to block the punches while chuckling at Kaiya’s futile attempts to break Alexia free from his powers.  While she called out to his daughter, her punches had become slightly slower meaning her concentration was not fully on him.  He would need to have something like that happen again to distract the soft-hearted girl.  Then he would be able to trap her in her own fears and his daughter wouldn’t be able to compete.  They were in an enclosed space due to his barrier, so the others that had come to the hideout with them wouldn’t be able to lend a hand.  The plan was perfect.</p><p>To enact his plan, he managed to push away from Kaiya getting hit fully by two of her punches.  Edward heard the cracks and knew he was going to be sore later once the adrenaline left him.  Kaiya nearly stumbled forward but caught herself, her tail bristling behind her as she glared at him.  He hated that look, like the girl thought she was a better person than he was when she was nothing more than demon filth and whatever else she was.  Catching himself lingering on the thoughts, he took advantage of her silent judgment and increased the force of his attack on his daughter.</p><p>Kaiya’s features softened and she broke stance when she heard Alexia cry out.  The girl was sobbing now, apologizing and pleading for the torment to stop.  Caring as always, Kaiya left the perimeter of the battlefield and ran to her cousin’s side.</p><p>“Lexi, it’s going to be all right,” she cooed softly, gently stroking the girl’s shoulder.  “Fight whatever he’s attacking you with.  You’re strong; you know you are.”</p><p>Alexia could hear everything Kaiya was saying and it did make her feel stronger.  Somehow, focusing on the girl’s words was making it easier to mentally push away her fears.  The dark cloud disappeared around her, and Alexia breathed out a sigh of relief.  Then panic took her once more, though not because of an attack.  Breaking free had been too easy.</p><p>“Kaiya, what-” Alexia turned to look at Kaiya, but gasped instead when she saw the hybrid in the same position she had been in, the smokescreen dancing around her.</p><p>“Looks like it’s just you and me for now, daughter,” Edward said smugly as he smirked at the weakened psychic.  “Don’t think I plan on letting you leave here alive.”</p><p>“Like Jiro, you’re a real bastard, Edward,” Alexia replied bitterly.  “Attacking me, attacking Kaiya with so low a move…  No matter what becomes of you after today, you are dead to me.”</p><p>“My sentiments exactly,” he retorted with a sinister grin.  “Now, let’s see if you can measure up to that trash on the ground.”</p><hr/><p>“The only trash there is him,” Hiei growled at the screen.  “You better not let this one off too.”</p><p>“He’s not going to be killed, Hiei,” Koenma reminded him.  “But yes, he will be imprisoned in Spirit World.  You remember our security, right?”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei scoffed, ignoring the subtle dig to his past crimes.  “Watch yourself, prince.  I would have never gone after my own like this.”  Koenma couldn’t disagree with that.  “So I take it that the barrier he erected is what has been blocking the Jagan.”  The Spirit World prince nodded silently.  “As soon as it’s down, I demand a portal to get me there.”</p><p>“I have no objection to that,” was all Koenma could say.  It would be much better for him if Hiei was out of his office anyway.</p><hr/><p>Terror…that’s all Kaiya could feel as her chest clenched with apprehension.  She had never realized how many small, irrational fears she had.  What was worse was none of them could hurt her, but she felt anxiety twisting her mind and energy as she grabbed her head to try to push the horrors away.  It didn’t help that one of her fears was the darkness, the pitch-black abyss of the unknown.  She had to force herself not to hyperventilate in the isolation and part of her wondered if Vegeta had experienced similar feelings in his isolation.</p><p>Thinking about that time triggered another fear in her.  The image of Frieza appeared in front of her but faded in the darkness.  She was waiting to be attacked, but an attack wasn’t coming.  She was trying to remind herself this was all an illusion.  Well, that was until she heard her own voice as a child.</p><p>It was pretty well known in her family that she had always been afraid that Jiro would kidnap her when she was younger.  She never pictured it; it was just something she worried about.  Until today, she never knew why, but it was hard to ignore the cries of her child self.</p><p><em>“No, Jiro, let me go!” </em>she heard in the distance.  <em>“I was going to class like you wanted.  I didn’t do anything wrong.  Let. Me. Go!”</em></p><p>The sound of a slap resonated in the darkness.  <em>“Shut up!” </em>Jiro’s voice snapped.</p><p><em>“Where are you taking me?” </em>the child cried.</p><p>No answer came as the feeling of a chilling wind wound itself around Kaiya.  She didn’t know why she was hearing what she was.  Despite what Jiro had done to her, she had never feared him hurting her as a child.  Her rational mind told her that this couldn’t have been a fear of hers.  It had to be something else related to her fears.</p><p><em>A repressed memory, maybe, </em>she suggested to herself.  It made sense, since she didn’t think she had acquired all of her memories.  Alexia had made her think that something else was trapped in her mind when she told her she zoned out and that it hadn’t been the first time in their many missions together.</p><p>That word caused a jolting feeling to zip through Kaiya’s heart.  Something felt wrong when she thought of that word.  She tried not to focus on the word, simply trying to think back on the memory.  If it had been a repressed memory, it wouldn’t have been seen when her friends scanned her mind.  Where she realized it might hold the majority of her fears, she needed to know.  She wanted to know.</p><p>As she tried to hear her young voice again, she couldn’t.  Instead, she was transported into the middle of room.  The floor and walls were metal.  It looked like a room she would have found on Frieza’s ship.  That fact didn’t bother her, though.  The scene playing out in front of her was a different story.</p><p>There she was, a young child being held down on a metal table by metal bars latched onto her wrists and ankles.  It was like an out of body experience watching her younger self struggling to escape.  Jiro was nowhere to be seen in the moment.  The girl was alone pleading for her father to return and save her, regardless of the fact that she had been brought there, Kaiya assumed, by him.</p><p>And then the door opened revealing a smirking Frieza, and the older Kaiya’s blood ran cold.  She knew she couldn’t fight right now as she was not there, unseen by them.  The girl couldn’t help but glare at Jiro as he entered, a familiar blue man with green hair on one side and some unknown pink blob on his other.  From what she had seen of Vegeta’s memories, they were Frieza’s second and third in command, Zarbon and Dodoria.  Kaiya remembered Zarbon from when she was in Frieza’s throne room.  That, she had thought, was her first memory of Frieza.  She was wrong.</p><p><em>“So this is that brat you been worried about?” </em>Frieza said sounding amused.  <em>“She’s awfully weak for becoming someone’s undoing.  Are you certain about this?”</em></p><p><em>“Her power level is higher than other Earthling children, sire,” </em>Zarbon informed him smoothly.  <em>“Considering how weak their species is, I would not be surprised if she could cause damage to them as well as other weak races.”</em></p><p><em>“Excellent,” </em>Frieza remarked.  Kaiya barely heard him as she focused on his former statement.  <em>His undoing?  What the heck…?  I-</em></p><p><em>“Let me go!” </em>the young girl cried while attempting to escape the bindings.</p><p><em>“She’s certainly a loud child, isn’t she?” </em>Frieza joked.  The mental ghost of Kaiya glared at the alien wishing she could punch him for the remark.  Then she remembered that was the Saiyan in her talking.  The human in her was curious about what was actually happening.  <em>“Now, Dodoria, escort Jiro back to Earth.  We have work to do.”</em></p><p><em>“With all due respect sir,” </em>Jiro interjected, <em>“I would like to stay and see her death.  I need to be sure that I won’t have to deal with her in the future.”</em></p><p>Frieza’s laugh was bone-chilling and grated on Kaiya’s sensitive eardrums.  It was easy to tell how malicious this being was, even if she never learned about his misdeeds.  His being exuded evil intent.  What exactly had he to laugh about anyways?</p><p>
  <em>“I’m very sorry, Jiro, but that wasn’t our arrangement.”</em>
</p><p>Jiro’s expression became panicked.  <em>“But-“</em></p><p>
  <em>“You see, the deal was that I was going to take possession of your daughter to keep her away from you, but I never once said I planned on ending her life.  No, I have other plans for her.  She’s going to become one of my soldiers, if she can prove her usefulness, that is.  She is already more useful than any being I’ve found on that pathetic rock you come from.”</em>
</p><p><em>“But that’s not what you led me to believe!” </em>Jiro exclaimed in anger.  <em>“I trusted you!”</em></p><p><em>“Yes, well, I’m sure you won’t make that mistake again,” </em>Frieza remarked, <em>“because we will never do business again.  You are to return to Earth, and you better pray this girl proves useless in purges, because if not, I assure you your vision might still come true.  Now, you can choose to accept my mercy or not but, I assure you, if you do not then you won’t have to worry about this child being your undoing.”</em></p><p>Frieza’s threat hung in the air as Jiro held a firm glare while still managing to look flabbergasted.  He had just been outwitted by the alien tyrant.  Kaiya didn’t understand what exactly the vision was, but Jiro seemed very sure she would hurt him.  If he hadn’t learned by now, she didn’t want to fight him.  Why would he still continue to aim for her death?  They could have been happy if he had just accepted her love for him.  If he had been different, their relationship would have been decent.  But for some reason, he ignored her desire for a real father and focused on some vision that could have been prevented.</p><p>Jiro left with Dodoria following him to make sure he followed what Frieza said to the letter.  Kaiya went back to watching herself struggle.  She was concerned for her younger self, a small frown forming on her face as she grimaced.</p><p><em>“I said ‘let me go!’ Let me go right now!” </em>she shouted earning a slap from Zarbon.  Kaiya cringed when she watch, flinching back inside of herself before attempting to look again.  Now the young version of herself was crying while whispering to be released.</p><p><em>“Now, now, child,” </em>Frieza cooed in a sickeningly saccharine tone.  <em>“As long as you cooperate, everything will be fine.  You’re about to join my army, and the first order of business I have for you is to help me with a little experiment.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“E-experiment?  W-why do you need my help?”</em>
</p><p><em>This is it… </em>Kaiya told herself.  She was about to see the experiment that turned her into a Saiyan.  Still, she didn’t understand why Frieza had wanted to turn her into something he both hated and feared.  Perhaps now she would get an answer.</p><p><em>“You see, girl, I have an army made up of many races, and I need to understand is how to repair their injuries,” </em>Frieza began to explain.  <em>“One thing I’ve had to deal with was soldiers coming back with mortal wounds that bled out and ended their existence.  I’m sure you can understand that is not a desirable outcome, yes?”</em></p><p><em>“Y-yes,” </em>the young Kaiya whimpered out.  She was still terrified and shaking.</p><p><em>“One race, however, has excellent healing abilities and I have acquired a sample of their blood,” </em>Frieza continued.  <em>“And that is why I need your help.  Using the blood of another species in a blood transfusion is a gray area that no one has explored.  Zarbon.”</em></p><p>Before Kaiya could blink, the blue man she remembered blasted a hole through her younger self’s stomach, breaking through the skin a bit and causing a large amount of bleeding yet not exposing anything internal.  Her mouth dropped open in offense and she was starting to hyperventilate again.  She could hear herself screaming, which alone was a haunting sound.  And through that whole thing, Frieza was standing there with a satisfying smirk as if her screams were causing him pleasure.  If that was the case, why hadn’t he attacked her himself?  Now she was recalling a time when Vegeta remarked that Frieza’s army did his dirty work when he felt it wasn’t worth it to sully his own hands.  Kaiya shook her head from her aggravating thoughts as well as a dizziness that was threatening to consume her.  She was sure that focusing on the fear to see the memory was not how Edward’s attack was supposed to work.  She just needed to hang on a little longer.</p><p>So she continued to watch regardless of the fact that the child version was screaming and whimpering in agony.  Zarbon continued to work as Frieza observed the scene with delight.  Neither seemed to be bothered by her screams.  They were heartless monsters.</p><p>The blood transfusion was completed and the crying died down, the child simply gasping for breath and trying to cling to consciousness.  Surprisingly the pain was no longer bothering her and the stomach wound was beginning to heal, however slowly.  Frieza seemed satisfied by the resulting initiation of the healing process and was about to leave the lab until Kaiya screamed out once again from pain.</p><p>Both Frieza and Zarbon watched her and seemed confused.  Kaiya shook her head at them.  It was their stupid experiment.  They should have been prepared for any outcome.</p><p>The pain young Kaiya was screaming from was explained when a Saiyan tail formed and grew.  The quiet gasping resumed after she acquired the appendage.</p><p>Frieza’s expression darkened before he made his order. <em>“Zarbon, take a blood sample and see what happened.”</em></p><p><em>“Lord Frieza,” </em>Zarbon spoke, <em>“I suggest we get one of the scientists.  This is not my area of expertise.”</em></p><p>Frieza was irritated by the remark but demanded he hurry up and find someone who could read the results.  He returned with some other species of alien Kaiya was unfamiliar with who swiftly took a sample and looked at it under a microscope.  The scientist gasped and began to stutter.</p><p>
  <em>“L-Lord Frieza, the experiment yielded some interesting results.  Her blood has copies of Saiyan DNA as well as human.”</em>
</p><p><em>“How is that possible?” </em>Frieza asked in a deceptively calm voice.</p><p><em>“Saiyan DNA must be very strange,” </em>the scientist began his attempt to explain.  <em>“Their DNA allows them immense strength and excellent healing abilities.  Attempting to use their blood to heal this child has given her access to the DNA.  The Saiyan blood did not coagulate properly with her human blood.  It didn’t disappear after it began the process in healing.  Instead, it will now coexist with her own DNA.  Whose blood did you use?  Raditz, maybe Nappa?”</em></p><p><em>“Neither,” </em>Frieza remarked.  <em>“I’ve had this blood stored for a while.  It is the blood of the princess the king sent away for weakness.”</em></p><p>The scientist paled.  Kaiya realized he must have already known that she would be related to whomever was related to the “donor.”</p><p>
  <em>“Then she has the DNA of the princess. She is the prince’s sister.”</em>
</p><p>The silence in the room was deafening.  Kaiya watched as Frieza raised a finger and shot a ki blast.  It disintegrated the scientist in seconds.  It was starting to bother Kaiya that she had seen more senseless brutality that day than ever before.</p><p><em>“What are you orders, sire?” </em>Zarbon questioned dutifully.  Kaiya rolled her eyes and mentally called him an “ass-kisser.”</p><p>Frieza was quiet, thinking, and then a sadistic grin formed on his features.  <em>“Take the experiment to her quarters.  I think we can use her against the prince.”</em></p><p>The child’s eyes flew open when she heard that, something snapping inside of her.  She managed to break the metal bolts with her newly acquired Saiyan strength.  <em>“I’m no one’s experiment!” </em>she shouted.  <em>“I’m a person.  Take it back.”</em></p><p>Amusement flashed across Frieza’s features.  He didn’t even seem to mind that the child was throwing herself to attack him.  He simply used his tail to send her flying into a wall.  She hit her head hard and began to fade out of consciousness with blood flowing down her back.</p><p><em>“On second thought, she just hit her head pretty hard,” </em>Frieza remarked.  <em>“I’ve heard that young Saiyans can experience memory loss after sustaining a severe head injury.  I have a better idea for her.  Zarbon, hide her tail and then you shall hand Vegeta his new </em>mission<em> when he returns.  I want to see how much damage she can take once she’s healed, but I tend to get a little excited.  Let’s see if the prince can keep the princess alive.”</em></p><p>The memory faded out as the child lost consciousness.  Kaiya could hear the whisper in her mind questioningly calling out the word “mission?”  Now she knew why it set her off occasionally, as well as why being called an experiment bothered her.  So, Frieza being a fan of irony was all she could take away from that memory.  He wanted to use her against Vegeta somehow, but he didn’t want him to know she was his sister.  If he had killed her, he probably would have revealed to Vegeta that he let another Saiyan die.  If Vegeta had found out and kept her on the ship, Frieza would have used her to control Vegeta’s actions.</p><p>But that never happened.</p><p>Instead, Vegeta had saved her from that life of brutality. He protected her from being killed and beaten and then sent her home despite the orders he was given.  He had been a good brother and friend to her when she was alone.</p><p>Kaiya felt a light feeling in her heart as she focused on Vegeta that pushed back some of her fears.  He had sacrificed so much to help her as a child.  It reminded her of how she had acted so oversensitive when he attacked her and after from her own self-doubt.  From what she had seen in her memory, that was nothing.  His words had been true.  He was trying to show her her own weakness through example, something like Hiei had done in their training in the past.  She hadn’t been a disappointment to him.  He believed she could train herself to overcome.</p><p>Thinking of Hiei also made her feel immensely happy and shielded her from her fears.  It didn’t make any sense to her.  How could happy thoughts fight back against the amplification of her fears, especially when that couldn’t help Alexia?</p><p>But Alexia couldn’t focus much on her words.  She wasn’t focusing on happy thoughts.  Alexia had been consumed by her fears.  Maybe, by focusing on her brother and boyfriend, those thoughts had been amplified with Edward’s power as well.  Kaiya mentally smirked to herself.  She had just determined the fallback of her opponent’s ability.</p><hr/><p>Alexia was breathing heavily.  Having wasted most of her energy in attempts to fight off her father’s ability, she was using up more trying to fight him long distance with her water abilities.  The man was cockier than she remembered, but having not seen him for years she wasn’t surprised.  They had both changed in that time.</p><p>She needed to beat him, though.  Kaiya was trapped in whatever fears she had and the only way out for both of them was for her to win.  The only move she had available was her Song of Death but, with Kaiya in earshot, she was hesitant to use it for she would be affected as well.  She wasn’t ready to relive their past fight.  But they needed to win.</p><p>“Kaiya, if you can hear me, cover your ears!” she called out hoping her cousin would hear her.</p><p>Kaiya obviously didn’t make a move as she was still trying to overcome Edward’s attack.  The attacker in question laughed in accomplishment.  “She can’t hear you, Alexia.  She’s trapped inside of her mind.  You should know what that felt like.  Could you respond to her when she made her futile attempts to comfort you?”</p><p>Alexia was starting to really hate her father.  She flashed him a heated glare, but was shocked when a gust of wind passed by her.  She turned around only to see that Kaiya was not crumpled on the floor like before.  Instead she was in front of her, ready to fight once more.</p><p>Kaiya was sweating slightly and focusing on her breathing now that she had gotten ahold of herself.  Edward looked confused and angry that someone had broken free from his normal finishing move.  “H-how?”</p><p>“Depending on that move,” Kaiya said sternly, “was the coward’s way out.  You should realize your move’s weakness before you make it your deciding move.  A good move is one that’s free of weaknesses and gets the job done.  It’s useless if it can’t hit its target.  Just some words of wisdom someone close to me has been teaching me lately.”</p><p>“What weakness?” Alexia asked in shock.  She couldn’t believe Kaiya had found a way to overcome her fears.</p><p>Kaiya nodded curtly.  “If someone believes the move to amplify their fears, their fears will be amplified.  But if someone focuses on good thoughts and happiness, those thoughts will also be amplified.  He only tells his opponent that his attack gets them with their fears so they will focus on those.  Again, coward.”</p><p>Edward glowered at Kaiya for her insult and was about to speak when she interrupted him.  “I no longer wish to talk to you, <em>human</em>,” she sneered in the same way he called her a demon.  She took both of her hands and positioned them out in front of her.  “Now, let’s see if training with my brother paid off.”</p><p>Flames shot out of her hand and swirled around creating a spiral.  Alexia quirked a brow in confusion.  Kaiya was simply using her Swirling Firestorm technique.  Even she knew the weakness of that power.  What was Kaiya thinking?</p><p>Kaiya paused her attack in front of Edward, and the cocky man decided to move to the center of the swirl to attack the hybrid.  She smirked, knowing he would do that, and then used her ki to push the flames towards the center of the storm.  She sensed some of his energy fade and released him before he would be killed.  Edward fell to the floor and the barrier around the lair disappeared.</p><p>Kaiya, exhausted from her trials that day, took a deep breath while holding her pose.  She smirked at her fallen opponent and said three words.  “Torrent of Fire.”</p><p>Those were the last words she had the energy to say before she passed out from fatigue.  Alexia ran over to her just as Kuwabara and Kiense were able to get to them having been trapped by the barrier.  Kiense apprehended Edward, cuffing him with the special, Spirit World cuffs Botan had given him.  Another entered the scene when a portal from Spirit World opened immediately after the fight.</p><p>Hiei had walked out and made his way over to Kaiya, lifting her in his arms.  He said nothing, but felt immense relief that she had been okay.  He motioned for the others to follow him so they could round up the others.  The mission was finally completed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: And this is now the longest chapter I’ve ever, but I just wanted to stop dragging the mission along.  It’s time to go back to the real conflict, Jiro, with some fluff filler in between.  Stay tuned for the next chapter, The Aftermath.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 19 - The Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters.  Just my OCs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Vegeta had stopped training to get fed at breakfast by Bulma’s mother who had apparently been cooking all morning, surprising since she and the doctor had been out the majority of the night.  For some reason, the prince felt a peace which was strange for him.  Peace was never something he had been used to experiencing.  The only thing that came close was back after he had sent Kaiya back to Earth.  He had known she was safe, and at the time he had some of her things as reminders.  It was ridiculous that Frieza had attempted to erase their knowledge of one another.  Did he really think that somewhere down the line neither of them would remember?  Saiyans were much stronger than that.</p><p>Still, after having experienced such rage the previous day, he hadn’t expected to feel calm.  The only thing that made sense to him was that Kaiya felt calm.  A smirk made its way to his face when he realized that his sister had won her battle.  It wouldn’t be long before he saw her, then.</p><p>Bulma had made her way into the kitchen, stopping for a moment as she saw him standing there.  Vegeta looked at her with hardened, emotionless eyes, but she just smiled at him and shook her head.  Instead of confronting him about the night before, she simply grabbed a muffin and bottled water and made her way to her lab for the day.  At least he wasn’t going to have to deal with that at the moment.</p><p>Spirit World was hectic as Koenma had ogres running around.  At the end of the mission, things had flown out of control.  Humans were dead, but they had been demonized.  The one they wanted captured for questioning was unconscious.  Koenma, though, had been relieved that Kaiya and Yukina had come out of the mission alive.  Hiei would have had his head otherwise.</p><p>Hiei still wanted his head for putting the two people he cared about in danger, but he was willing to let it go in that moment.  Currently, he was in the infirmary waiting for Kaiya to wake up.  She had expelled so much energy during the fight, especially to fight off Edward’s attack.  Hiei didn’t know what she had seen, but she had obviously been able to deal with it.  He wished he knew how she had broken free, but from what she had said to Alexia it sounded like positive thoughts combatted the negative fears.  How she had determined that, Hiei didn’t know.  He was just content knowing that she succeeded.</p><p>Yukina had been reluctant to leave Spirit World after they had returned, but both Hiei and Kuwabara had convinced her to return to Genkai’s to rest, for the sake of herself and the babies.  Kuwabara had left with her, nodding to Hiei to let him know his sister would be safe.  It reminded Hiei that Kaiya also had a brother now, and he should follow Kuwabara’s lead and let said brother know she was all right.  Sending Vegeta a quick message through telepathy, he heard Kaiya coo softly as she shuffled in the bed.</p><p>“Mm,” she groaned out as she stretched.  She then opened her eyes and looked around smiling when she saw Hiei.  “I thought I smelled your scent,” she said softly.</p><p>“Oh?” Hiei said with a quirked brow.  “And what is that?”</p><p>“You smell like forest,” Kaiya teased.  “I take it you’ve been sleeping in trees since I left?”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei grunted.  “You haven’t lost your observant edge.”</p><p>Kaiya just flashed him a soft smile before lying back down.  “Why do I feel so drained?”</p><p>Hiei looked at the girl like she was nuts.  “Do you not remember yesterday?”</p><p>“I remember,” Kaiya replied closing her eyes.  Then her eyes opened with alarm and she shot up in the bed.  “Oh my God, I remember.  Hiei, where’s Vegeta?  I need to tell him-“</p><p>“Kaiya,” Hiei stated sternly causing the girl to effectively become quiet.  “There is something I need to tell you.”  She could sense the seriousness of when Hiei wanted to tell her and nodded for him to continue.  The fire demon sighed before he spoke.  “Koenma found information on Jiro that had been unknown prior to all of this. It turns out that Jiro attempted to kill you once before.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya said shocking Hiei.  “That’s what I remember.  He arranged for Frieza to kill me, but Frieza turned on him and decided to use me as a soldier.”</p><p>“What?” Hiei nearly spat.  He had known about the deal backfiring, but not Frieza wanting her to be a soldier, though he probably should have assumed.  “No, Kaiya, I mean before that.  Jiro physically tried to kill you, back when you were born.”</p><p>“Wh…What?” Kaiya squeaked out before she became quiet once more, this time she seemed more solemn than before and she just looked at the demon searching for anything to tell her it wasn’t true.</p><p>“He had a vision, one where you would destroy him.  He knew you would have demon abilities, and he recognized the tail which is what led him to suggest Planet Vegeta’s destruction to Frieza,” Hiei started to explain.  “He tried to kill you the day you were born, but you had been protected and he couldn’t touch you.”</p><p>“How was I protected?” Kaiya asked.  “I was only a baby.  I didn’t know how to defend myself.”</p><p>Hiei blushed slightly which confused Kaiya and he looked away from her.  “Yes, well, that’s why Spirit World hadn’t known at first,” he said awkwardly.  “It turns out that when two people are soul mates and the other is in danger, regardless of whether they know each other, they can somehow protect each other until they meet.  You were protected by flames, flames that apparently came from me.”</p><p>“We’re soul mates?” Kaiya asked with wide eyes.  “I didn’t know soul mates actually existed.”</p><p>“They do,” Hiei murmured.  “It’s rare, and because of that Spirit World isn’t allowed to interfere.  Now tell me; how did you know about what Jiro arranged with Frieza?”</p><p>“Well,” she started, “when Edward used his ability, I thought about Frieza for a moment and something stirred in the back of my mind that I had never felt.  Alexia had mentioned that I black out sometimes when we go on missions and, because of that, I lingered on the feeling and uncovered a memory of the actual experiment Frieza performed.  I remembered Jiro kidnapping me and me begging him to let me go.  And now Frieza’s comment about me being Jiro’s undoing makes sense.  Anyways…Frieza wanted to test what would happen if he used Saiyan blood on a severely injured alien through a blood transfusion and it kind of backfired on him.  I ended up growing a tail and the passing out from both the wound and the changed physiology and Frieza throwing me into a wall...”</p><p>“What do you mean ‘severely injured?’” Hiei asked darkly, his bitterness shining through.</p><p>Kaiya frowned and said, “Frieza ordered his henchman to blast a hole through my stomach.  They then decided they were going to use their ‘experiment’ against Vegeta because I had the DNA of his sister.  They said I was his new ‘mission.’  Because I had hit my head so hard, it was easier to repress the memory.  I didn’t even remember it when I had woken up with Vegeta.”</p><p>Hiei shook his head and forced himself to rein in his anger.  “Jiro is a vile ass, and Frieza…I don’t even have words to describe him.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled and moved to place her hand on Hiei’s.  “Let’s not focus on that,” she suggested.  “Frieza’s gone, and Jiro…well, we can deal with him a bit later.  Let’s focus on the good, like the fact that we know we’re soul mates.  I actually think it’s very cool.  A little like some twisted, supernatural fairytale, but still a good thing.”</p><p>“Hn,” Hiei replied with a smirk, lacing their fingers together.  “Fine, onna.  We’ll deal with the other stuff later.  Now, let’s get you out of here.”</p><p>“Sounds good to me.”</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Kaiya survived and she is in Spirit World recovering energy at the moment.</em>
</p><p>Vegeta had been in the GR when the telepathic message reached him.  So he had been right in assuming the peace he had felt was from his sister.  He sensed the familiar stirring in his mind shortly after meaning she had woken up.  He did his best to block her out as he continued to train, but eventually surrendered to the lingering peace in his mind.</p><p>It was getting more and more troublesome to attempt to block Kaiya out.  He recalled how Kaiya mentioned, before the mission had arisen, asking Hiei or Genkai to help them figure out what had happened and maybe correct the problem.  The girl hadn’t worded it as such, but that is how Vegeta had seen it…a problem.  Her emotions were distractions he didn’t need.  All he had seemed to come across on the planet were distractions.  Even the woman had become a distraction.</p><p>If Vegeta didn’t stop thinking soon, he was going to drive himself crazy.</p><p><em>Aren’t I already? </em>he asked himself with a frown.  Technically, he had lost his sanity after isolation, and he wasn’t sure if or when he had gotten it back.  Obviously it didn’t matter anymore.  Frieza was gone; his organization was pretty much gone, at least after he took out straggling groups in space.  Now all that was left was a pathetic human threatening his existence despite his weakness.  One day he too would be dead by his hand.</p><p>Out of nowhere, Kaiya’s energy appeared at the compound with Hiei’s.  A little curious as to how they just appeared, without knowing the blasted instant transmission technique of Kakarot’s, he turned off the gravity simulator and exited the room just in time to see a portal disappear.</p><p>“I feel like I never left,” Kaiya said with a smile.  “How have things been here?”</p><p>Hiei shrugged his answer.  “The same, I guess.  Oh, except for that girl who worked for Jiro.  Turns out she didn’t know what she was getting into when she joined.  She came to us to ask for protection for her younger siblings.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded and frowned slightly.  “How many people have we met that ever truly know what they’ve gotten into?  It’s not fair.”</p><p>“If there’s anything I’ve learned about life, nothing is fair,” Hiei reminded her.  “She did tell us what Jiro was planning.”</p><p>“I knew he was planning to come after you guys and my brother and Kakarot, but he wasn’t too specific.  What’s he planning?”</p><p>“To use some mirror that grants wishes,” Vegeta interrupted making his presence known.</p><p>When Kaiya saw him, her wide smile returned as she ran over to him and jumped to hug him.  He awkwardly caught her, not missing the amusement in Hiei’s eyes.  Rolling his own, he looked back to his sister.</p><p>“Kid, you must be bipolar to go between different emotions all the time,” he remarked seriously.</p><p>Kaiya just laughed.  “I don’t know what I am anymore,” she joked.  “And I’m only side-stepping the fact that you called me ‘kid’ again because I’m happy to see you.  I missed you, Geta.”</p><p>“It’s only been a couple of days,” Vegeta deadpanned.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Kaiya muttered with a chuckle.  “Anyways, I need to catch up on what I missed, because I’ve obviously missed a lot in the last couple of days, but I’m going to need to talk to you about something later, after you’re done training.”</p><p>Vegeta’s expression darkened and he set her down.  “You can tell me now.”</p><p>“Nope,” Kaiya replied.  “No, I can’t.  I don’t want you to train while you’re mad.  We’ll talk later.”  She flashed him a smile.  “We can also talk about my training some more too.  You were right; I definitely need more training.”</p><p>Before Vegeta could say anything, Kaiya ran off and pulled an unsuspecting Hiei into the compound.  Whatever Kaiya needed to tell him had soured her mood, but she bounced back to her sprightly self in a few seconds.  Vegeta shook his head in disbelief.  Sometimes he thought his sister was stranger than the Briefs.</p><hr/><p>“So, tell me more about what’s going on,” Kaiya said to Hiei as she started making herself a few sandwiches.  Hiei glared at her slightly making her pause in what she was doing.  “What?”</p><p>“You need to eat a <em>lot </em>more than that,” he remarked.</p><p>Kaiya continued to make the sandwiches.  “I know that,” she told him.  “This is just a snack, promise.  I don’t want to eat a full meal until I know what’s up.”</p><p>Hiei noticed, once she sat down in front of him, that she was nervously playing with the tear gem he had given to her before the mission.  He took her hand to stop her and placed both their palms on the table.  “You’re still wearing it,” he stated.</p><p>“Of course I am,” Kaiya replied with a smile.  “It’s yours.”</p><p>“Human sentimentality,” Hiei scoffed.  “I blame you that I actually have an understanding of it now.”</p><p>“Yeah, blame, sure,” Kaiya teased.  “So come on; tell me what’s up.”</p><p>It didn’t take long to explain everything going on.  She took everything rather well, which made Hiei wonder if what she told him about Jiro and Frieza and that experiment was worse than she was letting on.  Even what she told him had made his blood boil.</p><p>She rolled her eyes at the fact that Koenma had called him, Kurama, and Kuronue in for questioning on the missing Forlorn Hope mirror that Vegeta had mentioned to her, especially when it had been such a long time since Hiei and Kurama had ever caused trouble in Spirit World and had served them somewhat loyally to protect the balance.  She wasn’t surprised when Hiei told her Jake had stolen the items.  Jake was always out to get them because of the fact that Hiei had killed Jiro to protect her.  The demon hunter hadn’t believed they had any right to defend themselves, just because they were demons.  That boy had a lot to learn.</p><p>Then when he told her more about Mizuki, Kaiya caught herself feeling guilty.  “I can’t believe he would go after his own people like that,” Kaiya sighed sadly.  “I thought…actually screw it.  Whatever I thought about that creep was obviously wrong.  So this Mizuki girl, her parents were killed by demons, and she’s raising her younger siblings?”</p><p>Hiei nodded.  “Kala and Tristen.  They remind me a lot of myself and Yukina…minus the whole separation thing.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  “We were both separated from our twins,” Kaiya reminded him.  “Kind of ironic.”</p><p>“There is too much irony in all of this,” Hiei muttered.  “Do all of these villains get off on it?”</p><p>“Interestingly put,” Kaiya chuckled.  “I’m with you.  Too much irony.”</p><p>“Speaking of…Jiro plans to go to Demon World during the tournament to attack the competitors and viewers there.  If that fails, and he can’t kill all of the demons, he’s planning to use some unknowing worker of his to make a wish on the Forlorn Hope to destroy the rest of us.  He planned on using Mizuki as the sacrifice.”</p><p>“I want to talk to her,” Kaiya stated earning Hiei’s confused expression.  He was looking at her as if she thought she was crazy.  “You really can’t judge her, Hiei.  You weren’t necessarily a friend to the spirit detectives at first.  She wants to help us now.  We should take all we can get.  I believe she could tell me more about Jiro than I could have ever known.”</p><p>“Is there anything more you need to know?” Hiei questioned.</p><p>Kaiya nodded.  “I may not know what it is, but I feel like there’s something more I need to know about him.”</p><p>Hiei didn’t agree.  He had had enough of Jiro to last him more than his lifetime, but he was still, after all, Kaiya’s father and she had always been one to want to know her family history.  It was turning out to be darker than she could have ever imagined, but she was handling it.  Hiei could only let her satisfy her curiosity and help keep her afloat when she was sunk.  “We can stay at Genkai’s tonight.  It’s probably better after all the chaos that we are all together.”</p><p>Eyes widening, Kaiya’s cheerful expression fell and she stared at a spot on the table.  “Oh my God…Alexia.  Is she okay?”</p><p>“For the most part,” Hiei answered, squeezing Kaiya’s hand.  “Don’t worry about her, onna.  She’ll get over it.”</p><p>Kaiya whispered, “Don’t be so sure…”  And then she thought about something else.  “Wait, have you guys warned the other demons?  What if Jiro-“</p><p>“Kurama and Kuronue went to warn the major players of demon world, including Mukuro who I have served in the past.  Everyone has been made aware.”</p><p>“Good,” Kaiya replied, relieved.  “Anyway, if I’m going to the temple tonight, I better get this over with and tell Vegeta what I remembered.”</p><p>Hiei’s frown returned and he crossed his arms.  “Just think, at least you don’t have to relive through that ever again.  Frieza is dead.  He can no longer hurt you.”</p><p>“I know that, koi, but thank you.”</p><p>Hiei nodded and watched Kaiya leave the room to talk with her brother.  He thought about how crazy everything had become for all of them, and figured taking a break after Jiro was dealt with would do them some good.  Once all of this was over, he would make sure they could get away, even if it was just for a little while.</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was surprised when he heard the light banging on the GR door.  Kaiya had said she was going to leave him to train, but she must have changed her mind which alone irritated Vegeta.  Opening the door, he glared slightly at his sister who looked more serious than she had been moments ago.  “What?” he growled out, though it did not seem to faze her.</p><p>“I’m going to be leaving tonight to meet Mizuki at Genkai’s,” she explained.  “I have things I need to ask her.  We need to talk first, before I go.  It’s important.”</p><p>Vegeta mentally sighed, not wanting to stop in his training and give Kaiya license to interrupt him again in the future, but this did sound like it would be important so he left the room and motioned for her to follow him.  There was a table on the lower deck that the two of them sat at.  The Saiyan prince just stared at his sister while she tried to find the words of what she wanted to say.</p><p>“So…” she started, “when I was fighting Alexia’s father, he used this power on me that brings out certain thoughts.  He had said fears, but really it’s anything, even happy stuff which is how I got out of that.  Thing is, before I realized that, he was using my fears of everything, including Frieza and whatever it was he had done to both of us.”  She didn’t notice Vegeta’s expression darken as she mentioned the former space tyrant.  “Lexi had told me about my zoning out, so I figured that I must be repressing something big that even the mind scanner couldn’t see.  When he used his power on me and I thought about Frieza, I felt something brushing in my mind so I focused on it.  And that’s when I remembered…”</p><p>“Remembered what?” Vegeta snapped.</p><p>Kaiya looked down at a random spot on the table, her expression darkening in both anger and sadness.  “Jiro kidnapped me when I was little, and he brought me to Frieza’s ship.  I learned from Hiei about the deal Jiro had made and about the vision, so now I at least know why he did it.  I had remembered after the mind scan meeting you, you risking your life to save me, and I saw your memories, but I never remembered the experiment her did.  I assumed I was unconscious, but Lexi asked me if I was completely sure about that.”</p><p>Vegeta glared at the table as she was.  He knew for a fact that Frieza was all about pain and torture.  There was no way he would do something as humane as knock someone out so that they experienced less pain.  “You were definitely awake.”</p><p>“Well, I know that <em>now</em>,” Kaiya stressed.  “They were taunting Jiro about how he thought that some weak kid was going to be his undoing and-“</p><p>“<em>They</em>?” Vegeta hissed.  “Who’s they?”</p><p>“Frieza, Zarbon, Dodoria,” she listed off not even noticing her brother’s ki flaring slightly.  “At least, those were the names I remembered.  Zarbon said my power level then was high enough to cause damage to other weak races, which seemed to be what Frieza wanted to hear.  He then ordered Dodoria to take Jiro back to Earth.  That’s when Jiro started worrying and requested to stay to make sure I died so that he wouldn’t have to worry about me in the future.  That’s when Frieza told him that it wasn’t the terms of their deal.  What those terms were, I have no idea.</p><p>“Then even Jiro was scared.  Frieza basically threatened him, which is why Jiro seemed so panicked when we all sensed him.  After that, he told me there were two things he wanted from me.  One was to join his army, and the other was to help him figure out if a severely injured alien could survive a blood transfusion using the blood of another race without repercussions.  He chose Saiyan blood, I’m guessing because of the healing abilities, but it didn’t work out how he wanted.”</p><p>“Who injured you?” her brother questioned.  When she looked to him shocked, he said, “You said severely injured.  If that was his experiment, he would have injured you.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded, telling him his logic had been correct.  “Zarbon blew a hole through my stomach, and then they did the transfusion all, like you said, while I was awake.  When it started healing, I honestly felt a lot better, like I could handle it, but then I caught their attention again and I kind of grew a tail, which neither of them had expected at all.   A doctor came and explained what happened to my blood and that I had both human and Saiyan DNA.  Then Frieza told Zarbon to take his ‘experiment’ to a room and said they were going to find a way to use me against you…and then I flipped out and attacked because he called me an experiment.”</p><p>Vegeta was seething, but that last statement managed to make him chuckle very quietly.  He knew if it had been him, he would have done the same thing, but then he became furious again.  Was she nuts?  She was a lot weaker than he was and would have never stood a chance against Frieza.  He was about to remark on her stupidity when she spoke up again.</p><p>“In hindsight, not my brightest move, especially against him.  He fought back and I ended up hitting my head, so I take it that’s what made it easier to repress the memory.  Up until remembering all of this, I thought the first moment I saw Frieza was after they took me away from your room.  And that’s pretty much what happened.  It bothers me that they wanted to use me against you.”</p><p>“Dodoria and Zarbon are dead,” Vegeta told her, “by my hand.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled slightly.  She didn’t tell Vegeta that she had seen parts of his actions and fights on Namek.  He already knew that she saw what he had done to Nappa.  She wasn’t ever really planning to bring any of it up, but unfortunately Jiro had done that while she was sleeping to try to turn her against Vegeta.  It wasn’t going to happen, which is probably why Jiro hadn’t done anything like it since.  As for Namek and his battles with Frieza’s henchmen, she realized him telling her was his way of trying to assure her that they’d never hurt her again.  “I know,” she whispered.  “I know you did it for yourself since you didn’t remember me or know any of this, but I’m still thankful.  Now, somehow, we just have to take care of Jiro.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>Kaiya hesitated before responding.  “I know I shouldn’t care about him, like at all, but I still do. There’s no way I can fight him on my own, especially when I couldn’t even kill a stranger that was trying to kill me.  I don’t have it in me, honestly, but I am aware that I will need to fight and defend myself and my friends.  I’ve gotten better with fighting, but I’m definitely not on his level, and that’s why I want to resume training as soon as possible.  Tonight, I need answers, but tomorrow I’ll be ready.”</p><p>Vegeta didn’t answer her, simply sizing her up as she stared back at him.  “We have hours before nightfall,” he pointed out.  “Gravity room, now.”</p><p>It wasn’t that she didn’t want to train in that moment, but she was still exhausted from the previous day and that is why she suggested the following day.  Still, Vegeta was her teacher now and she needed to get used to his schedule.  No longer was she training to control her flames, for she had that mastered.  Hiei had done all he could to help her with her speed, endurance, and how to fight using a sword.  To survive she would need to increase her power and learn strategy and how to fight in less than ideal conditions such as injury and exhaustion.  She had to do this Vegeta’s way.</p><p>“Then let’s make every minute count.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 20 - Through Enemy's Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters. Just my OCs.</p><p>So…I ended up taking a very different direction than I had planned for this story, mainly because the day after I updated, my own father passed away.  I quickly wrote up three chapters to finish the story, and I plan to continue with a different conflict most likely in a different story instead of breaking this one up into parts like I planned.  This is one of the final three chapters.  Hope you enjoy the read.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After training with Kaiya, Vegeta had resumed his own training and was shocked that he was making more strides than he had been before Kaiya had interrupted his training.  They had sparred for a while, Kaiya trying to think of new ways to best her brother and find his very rarely seen unguarded areas.  She had learned much from their previous spars and the one training session they had.  Once again, she proved to be a fast learner who could adjust very well to circumstance, but she still refused to cause lasting damage on any opponent.  That was the one thing that irritated him.</p><p>Eventually the spar became more of a game for the siblings.  Kaiya had done her best to impress Vegeta, but he made her work for it.  She joked around with him, laughing and going after him when he called her a “kid” again.  Strangely enough, Vegeta had enjoyed himself and actually had <em>fun</em>.  Part of him wondered if it was how he truly felt or if his emotions were playing off of Kaiya’s through the telepathic connection.  He didn’t know if it was some innate nature the Saiyans had with their closer comrades and family.  It could have been that too, seeing as he felt the need to protect her as a child regardless of the assignment and before he had even known they were siblings.</p><p>Nonetheless, it had actually felt good to take a break and have light training, and he was making more positive advances in his training.  Perhaps training his sister would be able to push him to get stronger.  At least she was getting stronger and more capable of defending herself.  He didn’t need to “worry” as much as he thought, if that was even what one would call it.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Kaiya was at Genkai’s patiently waiting to talk to Mizuki.  She had so many questions about Jiro and his true intentions that only someone who had known the real him for years could tell her.  She wasn’t sure if Mizuki could give her what she wanted having not been as close to her father as Jake apparently was, but the girl had to know something that could help Kaiya formulate a true opinion and settle what she needed to do.  Talking to her would be more of a challenge than convincing a temperamental fire demon to let her do this alone.  The hybrid really hoped that Mizuki could shed some light on Jiro’s true motives.</p><p>She hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that she was missing something, that this whole ordeal wasn’t black and white.  Jiro would have told her about the vision when he had attacked her before she died; he would have wanted her to know what he did and made sure she knew she would never be a threat to him again.  He had had many opportunities to harm her as a child during their unchaperoned visits, but he gave her good memories until she hit teenage years.  Why would he let her have those good memories if he never cared at all about her?</p><p>For years, she though Jiro hated her.  That belief had been solidified when he made and attempt on her life and killed her the year prior.  Since he hadn’t physically hurt her before then, a red flag was raised.  Was it truly because of his fear of being destroyed or was there something else?  He could have always hired someone else to do it.  Sure, there had been Frieza, but what about after that?  Something was off. Her instincts told her so.</p><p>When a girl with dark hair stepped outside of the temple, the two of them sat down and just stared at one another.  Clearly Mizuki didn’t know what to expect from Kaiya, maybe judgment or anger, but she wouldn’t know for sure.  Kaiya, likewise, didn’t know what to expect, but being a protective older sister herself, she hoped she and Mizuki could help each other.  “So…” she started awkwardly.  “You know Jiro.”  When Mizuki nodded solemnly, Kaiya pressed further.  “How well?”</p><p>“Well enough.  I’m an empath,” Mizuki explained.  “I can feel his true thoughts and I’ve also overheard many conversations he’s had with people closer to him or even when he talks to himself.  If there is anything you need to know, I could tell you.  I can tell this is the reason you wanted to talk alone.”</p><p>Kaiya was surprised at Mizuki’s confession of her powers.  It wasn’t something she had expected, but she knew that it was a good thing for her to get her questions answered.  Even though Mizuki was not close with Jiro, she could gather information simply from being around him.  “Fair enough,” the hybrid replied.  “Let’s get right to it then.  I’ve been given new information about his deal with Frieza and a vision he had regarding me.  According to Spirit World files, Jiro had made an attempt on my life as a baby because he believed me to be his downfall, and he joined the PTO in college, and that’s how he made the deal with Frieza.  Does he really want me dead?”</p><p>Mizuki’s expression became one of confusion but then her eyes lit up in realization.  “Kaiya,” she started softly, “why are you asking me this?”</p><p>“I…I…” the girl stuttered.  “I find it hard to believe because we did have good times.  If he truly believed me to be a threat, he wouldn’t have tried to win me over.  He would have eliminated me the second he was left alone with me.”</p><p>The former demon hunter nodded.  That much she knew was true about her ex-boss.  “Kaiya, you need to understand something.  Your father has been putting on an act for a very long time.  I always hated the way he talked about you because I could sense from him that it was not what he was truly feeling.  I had never met you, but I knew that if I did I would sense the unease that came from one who cherished someone who did, as you put, want you dead.</p><p>“I’ve overheard drunken conversations of his, when no one was around or when his former college roommate visited.  Both boys joined the fraternity for scholarship only. They never knew what they had gotten into.  Honestly, they only ever discussed it when they were drunk, maybe from hiding the truth all these years and acting like someone they weren’t.”  At seeing Kaiya’s furrowing brows, Mizuki sighed and continued.  “He confessed once to his old roommate that he had been okay with the vision, because all visions could be changed.  The roommate had known of the vision, and back then had made the decision to report it to the PTO, though he regrets it now.  Frieza immediately contacted your father after.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Kaiya exclaimed.  “That makes no sense after hearing and seeing the things that happened.  If that was true, then why did he try to kill me as a baby?  Why was he so desperate to have Frieza kill me?”</p><p>“His friend asked him, and Jiro had said he never wanted you to live that life,” Mizuki explained.  “It would have been better if Frieza had never found out.  Jiro would have never told anyone, but when Frieza found out he wanted you, as a baby.  There was nothing he could do except play along and make Frieza believe he wanted you dead, but when Frieza made the deal to kill you he went back on it, wanting you to be a soldier instead.  Jiro felt very guilty about that.”</p><p>“Why not just tell me?” Kaiya snapped, standing up from the table and turning away from the girl.  “I mean, I wasn’t weak.  I could have handled-”</p><p>“Could you have?” Mizuki asked.  “If I recall from your file Jiro keeps, your power level was forty.  Do you even know how strong Frieza was?”</p><p>Kaiya tuned Mizuki out thinking on her own words as soon as she said them.  After being attacked and beaten by Frieza, with what she heard about Namek from Bulma and sometimes Gohan, or what she saw in Vegeta’s memories, she knew what she was saying was a lie.  But she was hurt and angry.  What else could she do but try to hang on to her pride a little while trying to process new information?</p><p>“Why?” Kaiya asked.  “Why did Frieza want me as a baby?”</p><p>Mizuki sighed and continued.  “According to Jiro, Frieza said something about the younger the better and unruly children.”</p><p><em>Vegeta, </em>Kaiya thought fondly before frowning again.  “And then of course Jiro had told him that human children take a long time to develop before they can take care of themselves.  That unfortunately humans aged differently than other races, and at first Frieza bought it and it bought you more time on Earth.”</p><p>Those were the years where Kaiya hadn’t known Jiro, but then when he came into her life he spent time with her and she had had so much fun.  Sure, she caught him in a few lies, but now she was starting to understand it was to protect her from his secret life.  But…that didn’t make much sense, not at all.  He still tormented her as she got older, tearing her character to shreds and accusing her of being a traitor to him and humankind.  He killed her which was how she developed her demon powers.  Why would he have gone after her again if Frieza was nowhere to be seen?</p><p>Maybe this was all a lie.  Mizuki had been the enemy at first, and all of this was hearsay.  What if it was a trap, to get her to believe her father wouldn’t harm her now?  Well, she couldn’t put faith in that if he was still acting like a creep.  Frieza and apparently Frieza’s father were dead.  That had to count for something.  Why wouldn’t Jiro come to her after they died and just tell her the story?  It had to be a lie.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t want it to be a lie…</em>
</p><p>“Are you okay?” Mizuki asked her.</p><p>Kaiya gasped when she realized she hadn’t concealed herself well so she put on a steely mask, hoping to cover up her childhood longing.  “Heh,” she scoffed with attitude, “you seemed to have learned a lot from eavesdropping.  How do I know this isn’t what Jiro wanted me to hear?”</p><p>Mizuki used her ability and sensed that Kaiya was trying to conceal her emotions.  The young girl was hurt by all the lies and the double life, and Mizuki couldn’t blame her.  It would be easier for Kaiya to believe her father was the same person who killed her, but she hadn’t been lying.  She knew the story sounded farfetched, but it was the truth.  Mizuki remembered hearing his old roommate sob and beg for forgiveness for putting Jiro in this position.  Jiro had said he had forgiven the guy while they were drunk, but when sober he had told him to get out of his sight and he would let him know how the destruction of Demon World played out.  The roommate had acted cold and callous as well.  Maybe both of them truly believed that this life was they had to lead, and that if anyone else knew their secrets, it would be trouble.  “Kaiya, I have no reason to lie to you,” Mizuki told her.  “You have telepathy.  You would be able to tell if I was lying, right?”</p><p>Being reminded of the power she shared with Jiro, Kaiya focused on reading Mizuki’s thoughts.  She wanted what she had said to be true, but part of her wanted it to be a lie so it would be easier to make the choice.  To her dismay, it was all true, and, even worse, Jiro felt guilty every time he spoke about her.  The guilt was overbearing, sickening, and that must be what Mizuki had meant by not liking how the man talked about his daughter.  It was so overwhelming that Kaiya needed to force herself out of Mizuki’s mind.  She was breathing heavily and Mizuki came over to help her, but Kaiya pushed her away.  If that wasn’t enough, Hiei had sensed her distress with his own telepathic abilities and went to check on her.  He tried to help the frazzled girl out, trying to gather what was wrong, but she only said, “None of this makes sense,” before flying off to be alone and think.</p><p>Hiei looked over to Mizuki who nervously met his angered gaze.  “What the hell did you tell her?” he questioned harshly.</p><p>“The truth.”</p><hr/><p>He always needed to keep appearances, but it was getting increasingly harder to do so.  Unfortunately he had no other choice with who had contacted him shortly after Frieza’s death.  If Frieza had died and no one had contacted him, he would have been in the clear and none of this would have mattered, but he couldn’t be that lucky.</p><p>“She’s off on her own,” Jake said with a grin.  “We should end her now.”</p><p>No, he really wasn’t very lucky.</p><p>“No!” Jiro snapped gaining his pupil’s questioning gaze.  Quickly, he thought of a bullshit reason that Jake would hopefully not question.  “She needs to witness the death of her friends, to know the penalty of defying me.”</p><p>Jake groaned slightly.  “But she already knows that.  You made it clear last year.  At least let me capture her.  That way, she could get a front row seat to the carnage.”</p><p>“You will leave my daughter to me,” Jiro ordered.  Internally he was grimacing.  First off, he knew Kaiya did not like violence and it had probably gotten worse since her memories were returned to her.  Now, though, he could hear her conflicted thoughts.  He saw what Mizuki had shown her, what she had told her.  He never knew that Mizuki was an empath, or he would have never brought her on.  Right now, things were horribly difficult for the human.  He was being watched by yet another power of the PTO.  He needed to make sure that he kept up the charade, but he did not want to destroy his daughter in the process.  Somehow the two of them needed to talk, in private, but her friends would never allow that to happen…with good reason…and the Saiyan prince would have his head.  Maybe the other Saiyan would be willing to hear him out.  He had seemed to be pretty reasonable even when he attacked Kaiya and the man’s son.</p><p>But Kaiya…her thoughts…somehow she was still as innocent as she was when she was a little girl.  He believed he had given the girl ever reason to hate him, but she didn’t hate him.  She feared him because he had killed her, and now she was angry he had attacked her as part of a lie, but she still loved him.  When the time came that he needed to hurt her again, he wasn’t really sure if he could.  She had pleaded with him the first time and it had taken all of his strength to let out the attack and act like a chilling villain.</p><p>He wouldn’t have done it, but Frieza had contacted him shortly before, because he wanted her for a battle on the planet, Namek, to use her against her brother whom she hadn’t remembered.  Jiro had kept close watch over her and knew she had gone to visit his parents in his old home town, and he knew the girl had picked up on the lie that he knew of her trip.  The two of them had barely talked for a while since he had started pushing her away.  It had been for her own safety, and so had killing her.  It was unfortunate that shortly after her death she came back even stronger with new abilities, so he needed to end her again so Frieza couldn’t have her.  He had been killed instead, by Hiei who had protected his daughter, and thankfully Frieza had been killed too, or so everyone thought.  Jiro had known it wasn’t true when he came back, because Frieza had been trying to reach him since his alleged death.  Jiro himself had been dead so he hadn’t seen it until moments after he returned…and then he sensed the tyrant.</p><p>Frieza had been coming to destroy Earth and its people to upset the Saiyan that had defeated him, but he also swore he would find him having not lived up to his end of the bargain.  Jiro didn’t want to run into Frieza then, nor had he wanted to have his run-in with the Saiyan prince.  It was perfect, though, because it gave him another opportunity to make his daughter hate him.  Later, though, after Frieza and King Cold were killed, Jiro felt relief and was about to run off to confess the truth to his daughter, but he received a call from the last living member of the Cold clan, Cooler.  The one good thing about the Arcosian was that he thought things through and was actually willing to hear Jiro out.  Jiro had explained that his daughter’s body had been too weak for the attack and that, when she came back as a demon, he had been killed and had been dead for a year, wished back with the Dragon Balls by his subordinates.  Cooler had been calm and believed him when he told him what he had, but he ordered Jiro to eliminate every last Saiyan if he could, including his daughter and the half-breed child, or he would be forced to come to the planet and do it himself.  That was not the kind of death he wanted for his daughter.  If she thought he was bad, or that Frieza was bad, Cooler could be much worse.</p><p>How all of this had gotten so out of hand, Jiro didn’t know.  His story was a complicated one.  He came from a loving family full of competitiveness and fun.  He had gone to the university his parents attended in the town where he was born.  He was an overachiever who would have done whatever it took to meet his goals.  Sadly, that was how he accidentally joined the PTO, and everything about his carefree life had ended.  How it happened was such a blur, but it no longer mattered to him.  All that mattered was what happened after, that it started him on this unescapable path.  There was little he could do now.  But maybe, just maybe, he could talk to someone and warn them about what was going on.  Maybe then he could be free, if the Saiyan prince didn’t kill him first since he had been the one to suggest the destruction of his home world.</p><p>Now that…that had been a joke, but Frieza took it to heart.  When the vision got out and Frieza was talking to him about his plans for Kaiya, he was also complaining about the Saiyan race.  Jiro had rolled his eyes.  The way he talked about the “monkeys” was with disgust and hatred, so the human had scoffed and sarcastically said, “If you hate them so much, why do you let them live?  I hear you have a thing for destroying races…”</p><p>As soon as the words left his mouth, the Arcosian smirked and ended the call.  Yeah…it hadn’t been the brightest call on his part to just blurt that out, but he couldn’t take it back.</p><p>And now, here he was, back in the moment with his subordinate who wanted his daughter dead as much as Cooler did.  Jake obviously hadn’t liked his answer and stormed out of the room.  At least he knew that Jake would listen to him and leave his daughter alone.  It gave him time to go talk to the Earth-raised Saiyan and try to work something out.  That boy wouldn’t go against orders, he hoped.</p><hr/><p>Kaiya always went to the beach when she was upset; something about the water ebbing and flowing had this calming effect.  She was still so confused, and she somewhat understood why the water was as tumultuous as her heart and mind.  The ocean reflected her moods, all of them, which is maybe why she felt it to be calming.</p><p>She couldn’t believe everything she had learned that day about Jiro, about Frieza, about the truth of what happened, but as she lingered on her thoughts and the new information, she could piece it with her life.  Jiro had been good to her, though he tried to hide the truth of the past behind lies to hide his involvement in the PTO.  He never hurt her until he kidnapped her and took her to Frieza, but even then he hadn’t been the one to hurt her.  That blue alien, Zarbon, had been the one to blow a hole in her stomach and Frieza had been the one to beat her.  When she returned to Earth, Jiro must have realized she didn’t have her memories, and a few years later they were left alone for their visits.  He hadn’t hurt her.  He had acted somewhat like a father, an estranged father but a father nonetheless.  The only time he “hurt” her was when he was teaching her to fight after she said she was weak.  He told her never to say she was weak, but always to say she was strong or else her body would listen to her and become weak.  He even had given her a demonstration of having her fight after saying she was weak and after saying she was strong.  There really had been a difference.</p><p>Maybe he did love her and this outward act had been for show.  If that was true, should she confront him about it?  Would he tell her the truth if she called him out on it?  Could she convince him not to hurt her friends and to be honest about why he had in the first place?</p><p>“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice rang out in her ears, “if it isn’t the bitch demon herself.  Don’t think I’ve forgotten our last encounter.”</p><p>Kaiya growled, much like a Saiyan would, before she turned to face him and glared at him.  “Jake…it’s been a while.  Don’t think I’ve forgotten our last encounter either, you know the one where you were starving me and my cousin, <em>your girlfriend</em>, and tortured me to get information on my friends.”</p><p>Jake narrowed his eyes at her.  “Traitor, you do not get to make me feel bad about doing my duty to my master and the human race,” the demon hunter snapped.  And then he grinned making Kaiya feel wary.  “As for your cousin, she was a means to an end, collateral damage if you will.  I was only dating her to get to you.”</p><p>“Oh dear God,” Kaiya muttered.  Jake smirked thinking his words had gotten to her, but his smirk quickly ran south at the rest of her words.  “Jiro really did teach everyone that damn mantra.  If I hear the words ‘collateral damage’ from the likes of you again…seriously…you’re all idiots.”</p><p>This made Jake angry as he tried to take a shot at her with his weapon.  Kaiya easily dodged it flying into the air.  He shot a few more blasts that looked like black stardust, and Kaiya was still dodging them.  She didn’t understand why Jake was still smiling and why he was still shooting when she could easily dodge, but soon she started to feel woozy and could barely keep herself in flight before she had to lower herself to the ground and fell the rest of the way onto the sand.</p><p>“Wh-what did you do to me?” Kaiya asked in alarm.  Her breathing was becoming more ragged.</p><p>Jake simply laughed at her predicament and blew on his toy to cool the smoke.  “It’s a new invention that I developed.  This dust is highly toxic, a poison, that if inhaled causes temporary deliria and can knock out anyone: human, demon, or Saiyan.  That’s why I shot it so close to you and stayed safely in my spot.  Now that it’s dissipated, I can simply wait for you to pass out and drag you back to headquarters.  I’m sure your father would love to see you.”</p><p>A pang shot out in Kaiya’s heart, though not in fear of her predicament.  She had survived Jake’s torture before and knew she could do it again, but her father…  “You don’t know what my father wants,” Kaiya breathed out before she lost consciousness.</p><p>Jake was surprised at her words, mostly because she called him her father and talked as if she knew him, but he knew that was a lie.  She was probably just trying to rattle him.  Still, Jiro had told him to leave the girl alone for now.  Eh, it didn’t matter.  Jiro was going to kill her anyway, so he did the guy a favor.  Now he had all the time in the world to torture the traitor and take her pathetic life.  At least this was one less demon they would have to deal with for a while.</p><hr/><p>The mountain area was exactly how he remembered it, and the tree he had struck was still recovering from the hit.  Jiro cringed at the sight, knowing the attack would have murdered both his daughter and the half-Saiyan boy.  He knew what he had been thinking, but it was still difficult to shake it from his system.  Normally he just did and didn’t linger on the thoughts for too long or he would feel the guilt.  Maybe it was just because his daughter knew the truth now.  It wouldn’t have mattered to him beforehand.</p><p>The Saiyan he was looking for instantly came out of his small home and glared slightly at his intruder.  He had obviously remembered him and what he had done, not that Jiro had expected him to forget.  The human raised his hands up in the air telling the Saiyan he was not there to cause trouble.  “I come in peace?” Jiro joked though his voice was nervous.  “I just wanted to talk to you.  It’s important.”</p><p>The Saiyan’s face seemed to soften making Jiro believe he made the right choice.  He had said to him the day they met that he hadn’t wanted to fight.  “We’ll stay out here,” the Saiyan spoke.  “I’m not letting you near my family.”</p><p>Jiro smiled slightly.  Yes, he had made the right choice.  “I understand.  Given the situation…I wouldn’t even want me near my own.  Now, Saiyan…I mean…what’s your name again?”</p><p>The Earth-raised Saiyan smiled widely and started rubbing the back of his neck saying, “Well, my Saiyan name is Kakarot, but everyone around here calls me Goku.”</p><p>“Well, Goku,” Jiro started, “I need your help with something.  If you can help me, then everything will change.”</p><hr/><p>Jiro returned to the hideout later that night.  He had been relieved that Goku had been willing to hear him out.  The Saiyan had believed everything he said and offered to talk to Vegeta about it all.  If they all knew about Cooler, they could prepare to face him and he could end this charade of a life he had.  That way Kaiya could be free, finally, to live her life out with her friends.  If she wanted nothing to do with him, he’d understand, but maybe she’d at least be willing to have some acquaintance especially around his family and son.  Kaiya had always been that way before, and now that she somewhat understood he was just trying to protect her she would be more open to the idea.</p><p>His happy memories of his time with his daughter shot out of his mind the moment he entered the hideout, his blood running cold instead.  He could feel her there, or at least her mind’s presence there because he didn’t feel her energy at all.  Quickly, he ran to the dungeon area and found what he feared to see.</p><p>Kaiya was unconscious in a cell chained to the wall with ki restraints.  The cell was surrounded by talismans to keep her demon powers at bay.  Jake hadn’t listened to him like he hoped.  Jiro mentally prayed that his daughter hadn’t been hurt in the exchange.</p><p>“Oh good, you’re back,” Jake said coming out of nowhere.  “I was wondering where you ran off to.  Now, I know you said not to capture her, but I think it was the best opportunity we had.”</p><p>Jiro frowned, glaring hard at his daughter, yet again acting like he didn’t care about her while his mind was screaming to let her out of there.  He knew it was painful for a fire demon to have their flames trapped inside of them.  “You were right, Jake,” he stated sinisterly.  “Now if you don’t mind, I would like to have a private word with my daughter.  If I still sense your presence here in the next ten minutes, I will not be a happy man.”</p><p>Jake grinned and nodded.  “Anything you say, master.  Good luck with the traitor.  Let me know if you can make her beg.  She was too cocky last time I had my hands on her.”</p><p>Jiro forced himself not to react to the words other than to give a nod.  As Jake ran off, he didn’t notice Jiro’s clenched fists.  Once he sensed that the human was gone and he and Kaiya were indeed alone, he released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.  “I’m sorry,” he admitted to his unconscious daughter.  He bowed his head down, his hand on the cell bar and his eyes clenched shut.  “This was not supposed to happen this way, any of it.  If it was up to me, you would have been free.  I wouldn’t keep you here.”</p><p>“Then don’t,” he heard her voice answer back weakly.</p><p>He quickly looked up to see his daughter’s confused, saddened, green eyes looking back at him.  “Kaiya,” he breathed out, shocked that he was staring into the eyes of his daughter and that they held no hatred for him.  He knew the two of them had a lot to talk about, but right now he was absolutely relieved that she was awake.  For the first time in a long time, he let her see one of his fatherly smiles, one she hadn’t seen in a long time.  “Thank God you’re all right.”</p><hr/><p>Goku transported to Bulma’s compound by focusing on Vegeta’s energy.  The Saiyan prince had been making an after training snack, and was not very happy when his rival appeared right next to him, startling him.</p><p>“What the hell are you doing here, Kakarot?” he snapped harshly.  He was not in the mood to deal with the soft-hearted Saiyan that night.  He didn’t even want to know why it was he that Kakarot had sought out and not the blue-haired woman.</p><p>Kakarot’s face held a serious expression making Vegeta clam up.  He hadn’t seen the look in the Saiyan’s eyes since Namek, when they were dealing with Frieza.  “Vegeta, we need to talk about something,” he said sternly.  “Jiro is not the enemy.  Cooler is.”</p><p>Though Vegeta’s blood ran cold at the mention of the Arcosian he had forgotten about, he didn’t show it.  He simply crossed his arms, his eyes hardening, though, demanding answers.  “What are you on about, Kakarot?” he asked in attempts to play off the Saiyan’s words.  “Of course Jiro is the enemy.”</p><p>Before Goku could explain anything to the stubborn Saiyan, Hiei came crashing through the back door, causing glass to fly everywhere.  He looked very concerned, terrified, and then he looked over to Vegeta in panic.  “Please,” he pleaded, contrasting with his normally arrogant attitude.  It took Vegeta by surprise to see him acting like that.  His eyes grew wide waiting for Hiei to tell him what was going on.  “Please tell me Kaiya came home.”</p><p>The desperation in Hiei’s voice was off-putting.  “No,” Vegeta answered making the air in the compound shift.  He shot a glare towards Goku who raised his hands.  “You seriously believe that Jiro isn’t the enemy?  I have no doubt he’s responsible for this.”</p><p>“He can’t be,” Goku argued.  “He was just with me at my home.  He told me everything, about why he did everything.  It wasn’t because he wanted to.  He had Frieza breathing down his neck and now Cooler.”</p><p>Hiei looked over to Vegeta and nodded to him.  “He’s not lying.  Mizuki told me a similar story after Kaiya ran off, though I have no idea who this Cooler is.  If anyone went after her, it had to be Jake.  He kidnapped her before and tortured her.”</p><p>Vegeta remembered Kaiya mentioning that part of her past, and it only made him want to kill more.  He didn’t believe this story about Jiro, and he didn’t plan on letting the human slide.  Without another word, Vegeta took off in search of his sister and the human bastard that suggested the destruction of his home planet.  Jiro was not going to get off so easily.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 21 - The Truth Part I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaiya was shocked when the words left her father’s mouth and just stared at him waiting for something else to be said, but he just kept smiling at her.  It was hard to believe that this man was the same one who had killed her, attacked her friends, and had been planning to destroy all of them.  For the first time she didn’t see her killer or enemy, but someone who cared about her.  She took her eyes off of him and looked around the cell realizing there were talismans hanging everywhere.  She gasped when she saw them and then turned back to her father in alarm.</p><p>“Dad!” she shouted in shock.  “I mean…Jiro,” she called out in desperation, “you need to take the talismans down.  If Hiei can’t sense me-”  She stopped speaking, pursing her lips together as if she just revealed something she shouldn’t have.</p><p>Jiro frowned at her before sighing.  “I know,” he told her, “but I can’t just take them down.  Jake and the other hunters will sense your demon energy return right away.  It can’t be done.”  Kaiya’s face became full of fear and panic again, so Jiro clued her in on what he was going to do.  “What’s the number to that Capsule Corp. place?  That Saiyan, Goku, was going there after we talked.”</p><p>Kaiya’s face became an expression of shock.  “Y-y-you talked to Kakarot?  When?”</p><p>Jiro took out his cell phone as his demeanor became dark.  “When that idiot disobeyed my orders and captured you.”  He began to dial the local code and then turned back to Kaiya.  “What’s the number?”</p><hr/><p>Hiei was pacing back and forth while Goku watched him dumbfounded.  The fire demon seemed to be forcing himself to concentrate on something, but Goku didn’t understand what.  The Hiei growled out and smashed his fist on the counter leaving a hole where his fist had touched.  “They must have her guarded by talismans,” he stated.  “I can’t locate her.  Those bastards…I’ll-“</p><p>“Calm down, Hiei,” Goku said softly.  “We won’t be able to find her if you lose it like this.  It’s bad enough Vegeta stormed out of here.  I doubt he even knows where to start looking.”</p><p>Hiei shook his head.  He couldn’t disagree with the Earth-raised Saiyan.  Vegeta had blasted out of there without any indication of where Jiro had taken Kaiya, though both Hiei and Goku knew Jiro was seemingly on their side for the time being.  Suddenly, the phone of the compound rang, and both Goku and Hiei just stared at it like it was a ghost.  “You don’t think…” Goku started to say.</p><p>Hiei slowly moved to answer it at the same time Bulma headed down the stairs in her robe yawning, attempting to get the phone.  When she opened her eyes, she noticed Goku was in the house and just blinked at Hiei answering the phone.  “Hey, what’s going on?” she asked, but no one answered her right away.  She was about to snap at both boys when Hiei finally spoke into the receiver.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>The voice that answered him was the one he was expecting, but it still shocked him.  <em>“Hiei,” </em>Jiro greeted.  <em>“You and that Saiyan, Goku, you need to come get Kaiya.  I can’t release her without breaking my cover.  The hideout is located near the mountains where I was wished back, about thirty miles west of the place.  You can’t use the Jagan to focus on her right now, but you can focus on me.”</em></p><p>And then the line went dead and Hiei hung up.  “Well?” Goku called out.  “Was it him?”</p><p>“We need to get to the hideout now,” Hiei stated.  “Bulma, don’t say anything to Vegeta.  He’s volatile as it is.”</p><p>Both Goku and Hiei took to the air leaving Bulma alone in the compound with a broken porch door and immense confusion.  “What the hell can I tell him?” she shouted to no one in particular.  “I haven’t a clue as to what’s going on!”</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was trying to reach out to Kaiya through many forms of mental communication, through their bond as siblings and also using the telepathic connection, but she wasn’t answering back.  The only options he believed were that either Kaiya was unconscious or she was dead.  The latter left him angry.  Saiyans were the strongest warrior races and there was only a handful of them left, Kaiya included.  If someone thought they could get away with attacking the pride of their race, they had another thing coming.</p><p>But Vegeta didn’t know where he was going.  He even tried to search for her ki, but he came up with nothing.  This was another thing that led him to believe the girl was dead.  It was possible, though, that since Jiro had worked for Frieza he was using ki restraints.  If the creep wanted to live more than a few minutes, he had better have kept the girl alive, though even that wouldn’t save him.</p><p>All of a sudden, the Saiyan prince felt the energy of his Saiyan rival and sister’s boyfriend heading in a very specific direction.  He paused, midflight, and focused on their energies.  They were moving fast to an area close to where he and Kaiya had trained earlier that day.  Maybe they had gotten a clue as to where Kaiya was being held and that alone was a reason to check it out.</p><p>He quickly caught up with them to both Hiei’s and Goku’s dismay.  They knew he wanted to take down Jiro, but for once he was trying to help them.  If he really had been a victim of the Arcosians as well, then there really wasn’t much they could do.  If he was willing to work with them instead of against them, then the past could finally be put behind them and Kaiya would actually have a shot at getting to know the person her father really was.  But with Vegeta tailing them, that was going to be easier said than done.</p><p>They found a tall building hidden by mountains and painted the color of the rocks.  It would have been easy for anyone to miss the building.  The three fighters touched down in front of the building.  “Are you sure this is the place?” Goku asked Hiei.</p><p>Hiei nodded.  “Jiro is inside.  The fact that he told us to track him helped.  He’s down underground, probably a dungeon area.  He hasn’t moved from the spot.  It has to be where they’re keeping Kaiya.”</p><p>Vegeta looked over to the fire demon with disbelief shining through his eyes.  From what Hiei had said, it sounded like Jiro had led them directly to the location.  All he could assume was they were walking into a trap.  As if Hiei read his thoughts, his next words shocked him more.</p><p>“No one is on guard down there,” he stated.  “All the hunters here are very far away from the dungeon, but the second we make a forced entry they will know.  If we want to get in without alerting anyone, we need to be discrete…I hate that.”</p><p>Goku grew serious and nodded.  “Not much can be done about that.  The important thing is keeping Kaiya safe.”</p><p>“This is none of your business, Kakarot,” Vegeta growled out calling their attention to him.  They had known he was there, but they were hoping he would let them handle this.  “Kaiya is <em>my</em> sister, and Jiro needs to pay for what he did.”</p><p>Hiei glared at Vegeta and stood between him and Goku.  “We don’t have time to argue this, but don’t do anything to Jiro.  If his story is really true, then Kaiya would be devastated if any of us did anything to him.”</p><p>“Listen to yourself,” Vegeta scoffed.  “The foolish, emotional drivel will get you nowhere.  What happened to that story where he killed her, hm?  Where is the anger I saw then?”</p><p>“Buried, at least for now,” Hiei admitted.  “I still hate him for what he did.  That fight where I killed him, I would do it again if it meant protecting her, but that’s just it.  If he is helping her and the truth really is that he hadn’t wanted her to live this way, Kaiya would need to make a choice that only she can make.  We can’t take that away from her.  Even though I hate the idea of her wanting to have anything to do with Jiro, I can’t change the fact that he’s her father and she loves him, and neither can you.”</p><p>The Saiyan prince crossed his arms and stood defiantly, proudly.  He didn’t care about the nonsense his sister’s boyfriend was spewing.  The guy was responsible for the destruction of Saiyans, a pawn of Frieza’s that continued to be his, and now his brother’s, yes-man.  To continue working for the Colds because of fear…it disgusted Vegeta to think of allowing someone that weak and cowardly to walk away as if his crimes were nothing.  “Do not believe you can tell me what to do,” Vegeta stated, his voice dark and cold.  “I care not what Kaiya desires for the future with this freak she calls a father.  If I get the chance, he dies.  End of story.”</p><p>Hiei and Goku exchanged knowing glances.  They knew that this was exactly how Vegeta was going to react, and they were prepared for that.  Goku turned to face Vegeta and powered up.  “Sorry, Vegeta, but I can’t let you do that.  Jiro was just another victim, and he might be able to help us.  This Cooler guy is still out there.  There has to be a better way to work out your differences.”</p><p>“Oh not this bullshit again,” Vegeta muttered before he took his stance.  “You are a soft-hearted fool.  You let Frieza live when I specifically told you not to.  This is no different.  Jiro will pay for his crimes and you will not stop me from being his executioner.”</p><p>They charged at the other around the same time, their battle beginning.  Flashes of blue and purple light collided up in the night sky, separating and joining as the two fighters landed their hits.  Hiei was thankful that Goku had joined him there.  While he kept Vegeta busy, Hiei could get to Jiro and Kaiya, figure out what was going on, and then get out of there and head to Genkai’s temple where both his girlfriend and the human would be safe.  Getting into the building was easy without anyone guarding it. Hiei didn’t understand why there were so little people, but it didn’t matter.  He sprinted down to the dungeon without looking back, hoping Kaiya hadn’t been hurt too badly by Jake.</p><hr/><p>“Why?” Kaiya breathed out.  “Why did you do that?  Do any of this?”</p><p>Jiro sighed again as he leaned against the cell bars.  “First off, everything that happened last or this year is off the table while we discuss this,” he explained.  “You need to hear the real story, and not from some empath, but from me.  I will tell you what I told Goku.”  Kaiya nodding was all he needed to continue.</p><p>“As you know, where I went to school, I met your mother, but that was after joining the fraternity disguised PTO.  I didn’t know about you then.  At the time, I was simply in love with your mother.  I never told her anything about aliens or the organization.  I wanted to keep her out of it as much as possible.  Our relationship was pretty much secret except to both of our immediate families.  We planned on getting married after we both graduated from the university.  I hoped that my involvement with the PTO would end then as well.</p><p>“One night, I had a vision that we were going to have a child that would, as you’ve heard, be my ultimate downfall, but at the time, I didn’t care.  The one thing about our visions is that they don’t always come true.  The face that we were having a healthy child was all that mattered to me, and I had been so excited when your mother told me.  Until I found out my roommate had known.  The next day, I was brought to some of the soldiers stationed on the campus and they sent me into a room with a screen and that’s when I met Frieza over an intercom.</p><p>“Apparently I talk in my sleep,” Jiro growled shaking his head, “because my roommate told him everything about the vision.  In the vision, you were fighting me with flames and ki attacks, and you were a fairly aggressive fighter.  Frieza wanted that and demanded for you to be given to him when you were born.”</p><p>“Why wasn’t I, if that’s what he demanded?” Kaiya asked.</p><p>“I didn’t want you to go to him,” Jiro told her.  “I knew of the rumors, and I knew he wanted you to be his soldier, so I tried to get rid of you.  I know it’s horrible, but I would have rather been the one to end you than have you suffer your entire life with Frieza.  As for Mayonaka, I didn’t know your mother was having twins.  The reason I sent her away was because I didn’t want the others to find out about her.  I planned on telling them that the baby didn’t make it and maybe my vision was of a different child.  But my plans went wrong because of something I hadn’t counted on.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded in understanding, her lips pursed into a straight line before she voiced Hiei’s name.  Jiro shook his head in frustration and continued.  “Believe me; I’m happy you found someone who would protect you and all, but at the time it just made everything worse.  Frieza wanted you then, so I misled him to believe that human children grew a lot slower than what he was used to and I told him that your power level was much lower that it was.”</p><p>“What do you mean you lied about my power level?” Kaiya asked.  “When Vegeta read my medical file, it said I had a power level of forty as a baby.  If that was high for a human, what exactly was my real level?”</p><p>“Because of your demon ancestry and spiritual energy, your level was 1000,” Jiro revealed.  “Honestly, it would have grown much higher if he performed the experiment on you then.”</p><p>“One thousand?” Kaiya nearly shouted.  “How the hell…you know what, I don’t want to know.  So you convinced him to let me stay on Earth for a few years.  How?”</p><p>“I promised to have you enrolled in classes of some sort.  Another friend at college had promised the same thing, so I made sure you two were together for a while.”  Realization dawned on Kaiya that he was talking about Edward and Alexia.  “And then he contacted me again, once you had been tested in those classes.  I acted as if I was considering letting him have you, but I begged him to kill you.  He had been happy with my work that I assumed he would want to keep me on.  There were always other soldiers to be made, and you only had the mindset as a spy, not a killer.  I tried using all of this information, but he turned on me in the end.  I had been hoping he would kill you so that you wouldn’t be sentenced to years of breaking and molding.  He sent me away that day and told me he was done with my services.</p><p>“I never expected the experiment he was planning to do, but I’m glad he did, because it gave the Saiyan prince a tie to you and he rescued you. He sent you home, and Frieza was done with me so, for years, you were free, as was I.  It wasn’t until you were fourteen when Frieza had me tracked down.  That was the time where I tried to distance myself from you and tried to push you away from the family.  In hindsight, I probably should have told you, but you wouldn’t have understood.  You had no memory of the encounter and I did not want to cause you pain by making you relive it if I said something to remind you of everything.</p><p>“I tried to kill you again once I knew you had finally found your fire demon boyfriend, because I knew nothing would prevent my attack from hitting you.  I would have reported you dead to Frieza, but you came back as a demon yourself, a strong one, and then you remember the end of the battle.  He had contacted me again to have you sent to Namek to fight the other Saiyans when I killed you.  After Jake had brought me back with the Dragon Balls, thing became worse.  Tbe honest, I’m thankful your boyfriend killed me so that I didn’t need to worry about receiving angry messages from Frieza.  Last message I got, Frieza swore that since I disobeyed orders, if he ever found me on Earth, he would kill me.”</p><p>“That’s why you didn’t want to be around when you sensed him,” Kaiya marveled.  “Okay, well that explains the past, but it doesn’t explain why you became a demon hunter and made all these plans against my friends, and it sure as hell doesn’t explain why you were still continuing on with the charade <em>after </em>Frieza was killed by that guy from the future or why it was you that suggested the destruction of Planet Vegeta.  Why did you do that, Jiro?  The Saiyans had done nothing to you.”</p><p>“I didn’t mean to,” Jiro argued.  “Frieza was saying how much he hated them and that they were getting to strong and I sarcastically made the comment ‘if you’re so worried, what are they still doing there?  I hear you have this thing about destroying planets.’  After I said that, I regretted it, but Frieza had revealed he had already been weighing his options on that.  Honestly, me saying anything wouldn’t have made the difference.  Once the Saiyans stopped being useful to him, he would have ended them.  I only contributed to the timing of their destruction.  And yes, that’s why I didn’t want to stick around when he was there.  I’m very glad he wasn’t around for long and that he didn’t see you.  Unfortunately, his death, and even his father’s death, didn’t end the PTO.</p><p>“His brother, Cooler, is still out there,” he told his daughter who gasped at the fact that someone like Frieza had a brother, “and he contacted me and had me explain why I hadn’t been answering to his brother’s command.  I explained I had been dead for a year and how it happened and he stated that I needed to end you and every Saiyan as my next order.  That is why I continued to act as I did.  You learning the truth, though…that changed a lot of things.”</p><p>“You still haven’t explained the demon hunters,” Kaiya pointed out.</p><p>Jiro was hesitant to speak, not wanting to tell her his methods.  “At first, it was suggested by my roommate that I join Kiense, that fire demon who Mayonaka is dating, when he was getting started on his plans.  He had heard rumors that Kiense was gathering psychics to go against Spirit World.  My roommate figured I could find information on why I couldn’t kill you, but unfortunately for me Kiense was more peaceful than I thought so I broke away and created my own faction.</p><p>“If I couldn’t use Spirit World to find your protector, I could as a demon hunter.  All I had to do was learn everything about Demon World and its high profile residents.  I figured they would be able to help me figure out a method to end you if Frieza ever contacted me again.  Without knowing, though, you confirmed the names for me, when you told me of your friends.  I knew one of them had to be the one that you had been protected by, so I just decided to bide my time.  I wasn’t going to come after any of you until the next time Frieza contacted me.”</p><p>“What changed?”</p><p>“Jake did,” Jiro growled.  “Excellent fighter, good drive, perfect demon hunter…but horrible at following directions.  He found my notes and spread them around.  He said we needed to strike.  They would have gone after you without my commands.  I told them all to give me a few days to think of a plan…and that was when Frieza contacted me again saying he had waited long enough for you and needed you for something, my assumption is that that was when Vegeta mutinied.  He wanted you as a replacement fighter, and he probably assumed I was training you all of those years.  This was all one big mess that started because I wanted the scholarship being offered.  I never knew what it would lead to.  I’m…sorry, Kaiya.”</p><p>Kaiya’s eyes widened when she heard his apology.  For her entire life, or at least the time where he was pushing her away, she had longed to hear those words being uttered so sincerely.  Now, after thinking he hated her, thinking she was a terrible daughter, it was he who was apologizing to her.  “I…” she attempted to voice as tears started to form in her eyes.  “I always thought you hated me.”</p><p>Jiro’s face fell when he picked up on her dejection just by the sound of her voice.  He had expected to push her away, make her hate him, but not tear her up inside to the point where she questioned herself.  “I could never hate you, Kaiya,” he assured her.  “You are part of me, the best part in fact.  I’m pretty sure your mother has said that from time to time.”</p><p>Tears fell from the girl’s eyes, but she was laughing so hard at the remark.  “Just how long have you been spying on me?” she teased.  “Seriously, how strange is it that my father has been my stalker?”</p><p>Her father laughed along with her before he heard a noise off to the side and then a gasp.  He quickly turned to see Jake standing there and, with his telepathy, Jiro realized that his subordinate had heard everything.</p><p>“I had the feeling,” Jake remarked while trying to contain the betrayal he felt and his anger.  “You’ve been lying to me.  To all of us.  You never intended to kill her.”</p><p>Kaiya scoffed.  “Haven’t you paid any attention or did you miss that part?  Jiro made it clear he had every intention of killing me.  It’s just not for the reason you expected.”</p><p>“Shut up, demon,” Jake growled at her.  “I have no need for your input.  It’s a good thing I took charge on this project.”</p><p>“What project?” both Kaiya and Jiro voiced at the same time.</p><p>“Really?  ‘What project?’” Jake quoted in sarcasm. “Yours, Jiro.  The one to take out Demon World.  We may not have the mirror, but we have the manpower.  You see, Mizuki told the demons we were planning the attack for the tournament, so they’ll never expect it now, months in advance.  Do whatever you want with the mirror.  You would have to give up your life to make it. No one else can help you with that.  I regret ever trusting y-”</p><p>Jake was silenced by a beam of lightning striking his heart, Jiro rubbing the temples of his head.  “Idiot…this wasn’t supposed to play out like this.”</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Kaiya said in comfort, “everyone is ready for an attack.  You don’t think demons are stupid enough to sit back and wait for an attack, do you?”</p><p>“For his sake, I hope he doesn’t answer that.”</p><p>Jiro looked over to the stairwell, but saw no one.  He looked back to his daughter’s cell and saw Hiei standing in front of it with his arms crossed.  Kaiya was smiling down at him and then at her father.  “Now,” he started, “there is no one else here, so I suggest we bypass any trouble and you release her before Vegeta gets tired of fighting Kakarot out there.”</p><p>“That will never happen,” Kaiya laughed.  She knew full well that her brother wouldn’t stop any fight with his rival no matter the circumstances.</p><p>Jiro didn’t respond to Hiei, but he did open the cell door and went to remove the ki restraint shackles from his daughter’s wrists.  She caught herself as she plopped onto the floor and observed the slight bruising of her wrists from being hung there for so long.  Afterwards, she was beaming with happiness at the sight of her father and boyfriend in the same room, neither trying to attack the other, though she knew Hiei really, really wanted to.  “Okay, now let’s go take out some demon hunters, once and for all.”</p><p>Hiei smirked at her.  “Sounds like a plan, onna.”</p><p>Kaiya looked to Jiro expectantly, hoping he would join them.  He just smiled fondly before growing serious again.  “There is something I need to take care of here, first,” he told her.  “I will join you and your friends shortly.”</p><p>Something like an alarm rang out in Kaiya’s head, but not because she was worried Jiro would turn on them.  “Well, if you’re sure,” she murmured softly.  “There’s just…one thing I need to do.”</p><p>“Wha-”  Jiro was about to asked her what it was she had needed to do, but Kaiya answered his question the second she ran over to him and hugged him tightly.  He could see tears forming in her closed eyes and frowned again.  She had been through so much because of him, and she had only ever wanted him to accept her from what he was gathering from her thoughts.  He knew now, the reason she never hated him but instead questioned herself.  His methods hadn’t pushed her away.  They only made her try harder in desperation to win his love, but she had never truly realized she already had it.</p><p>He remained quiet, a stern expression on his face as he placed his hand on top of her head and hugged her back with his free arm.  “I love you, Kaiya, and I’m so proud of what you were able to accomplish despite what I put you through.  Don’t ever forget that, ever.  If you ever question it, just remember what I told you today and nothing else.  You are my daughter, and I will always be proud of you.  You and your sister.”</p><p>Jiro released her and raced out of the corridor before either she or Hiei could respond.  Kaiya looked to the blank spot in front of her.  “I love you too, daddy,” Kaiya whispered, not understanding the feeling of dread threatening to consume her.</p><hr/><p>“Hiei, I can’t go out there,” Kaiya cried as she realized it was night.</p><p>Hiei looked at her like she was crazy.  “Why not?”</p><p>“Don’t you remember?  It’s a full moon tonight!  If I go out there, I’m going to transform,” she reminded him as her tail tightened around her waist, “and I haven’t tried to learn to control it yet.”</p><p>His eyes widened, but Hiei kept his calm and went to look outside.  If the moon was full that night, it was being covered by storm clouds.  If the two of them interrupted the fight between Vegeta and Goku, then they could have the Earth-raised Saiyan transport them to Demon World to fight and they wouldn’t have to worry about the full moon or the Oozaru transformation.</p><p>Out in the desert, Vegeta and Goku were still going at it, neither backing down.  Both of them were covered in blood, theirs clothes tattered in appearance.  Unfortunately for Vegeta, though, Goku still had plenty more energy to go and hadn’t once transformed to Super Saiyan.  His fists clenched in anger knowing that despite his intense training, he hadn’t reached his rival’s level, and this was a battle he couldn’t afford to lose.</p><p>He was already sensing his sister’s emotions again, ever since she was released, and he now knew everything Jiro had said, both to her and to Kakarot.  The story was believable, and his sister was so internally happy that it sickened Vegeta.  He still wanted to kill this man for everything he had done regardless of the fact that he was unwillingly brought into the PTO as he had been.  He still wanted to be the one to end Jiro for suggesting, however unintentional, the destruction of his home planet, but his sister’s emotions were suffocating him even now.  He didn’t want to think of what they would do to him after he eliminated her father.</p><p>“Kakarot!” he heard her call.  It made the fight pause briefly as his rival stopped mid-punch to see both Kaiya and Hiei in the air fairly close to their fight.</p><p>“Oh, hey Kaiya, you’re out,” he said stating the obvious.  “What’s up?”</p><p>“We need you to use that transmission technique to take us to Demon World,” Hiei said, “before she gets a look at the moon.  It’s covered right now.”</p><p>Due to no longer possessing a tail, Vegeta hadn’t been paying much attention to the moon cycles.  He had explained the Oozaru transformation to Kaiya since she had a tail, and the young girl had only really seen the full moon before Frieza’s experiment.  She had been lucky that she hadn’t seen it since, though tonight might have made up for it if the moon hadn’t been covered by the dense clouds.</p><p>“Sure, one second,” Goku answered before facing Vegeta.  “This takes precedence, Vegeta, but I’ll be back.”  Vegeta nodded, irritated at their battle being disrupted, though he had been starting to lose ground.  At least this way he could regroup.</p><p>What was he thinking?  With Kakarot gone, even for a moment, he had direct access to Jiro and, even better, his sister wouldn’t be there to see the carnage.  He would be able to end Jiro’s life and make up something for his sister to cope later.  It wouldn’t matter.  He could tell her that he was alive and decided to return home and she would never know the difference.  Well, lying to her would be difficult and dishonorable.  He would work that out later, and would probably settle for telling her the truth because, honestly, he wasn’t ashamed of his bloodlust and he didn’t care what problems it would cause.  This was the end of the PTO for good.</p><p>Hopefully…</p><p>The second Kakarot had transported away, Vegeta made his move and flew towards the roof where he was sensing Jiro’s ki.  He grinned, feeling his power course around him.  It had been quite a long time since he had last killed an enemy, and he was ready for it.</p><p>Jiro didn’t even flinch when he sensed the Saiyan prince land on the roof.  He knew what Vegeta was there for, but it was a moot point.  Before the Saiyan reached him, Jiro used his abilities to disperse the clouds.  He had been the one to cause the cloud coverage, for he knew what night this was.</p><p>“Please,” Jiro said.  Vegeta smirked thinking the man was going to beg for his life.  “Just let me do one thing, and I assure you I will accept my death.  This is for Kaiya.”  He held out the broken mirror, the object Hiei had talked about.  Vegeta eyed the man curiously and watched as he set the mirror down on the roof.  The full moon reflected in the shards and a deep voice rang out on the roof top.</p><p><em>“The freedom of this girl,” </em>the mirror spoke out, revealing a picture of Kaiya, <em>“is that what you desire?”</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 22 - The Truth Part II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, YYH, or the characters</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“The freedom of this girl, is that what you desire?”</em>
</p><p>Jiro looked over to Vegeta with sad eyes.  He mouthed, “Tell her I love her,” before turning back to the mirror.  He added between their minds, <em>You can honestly tell her that you had nothing to do with it.</em></p><p>Before Vegeta could react or question the meaning of his words, Jiro said, “Yes, it is.  Make all the members of the PTO forget about her and forget about the experiment.  Make my daughter free.”</p><p>
  <em>“Are you willing to pay the price for your wish?”</em>
</p><p>And that’s when Jiro’s words clicked in Vegeta’s mind.  Rage and injustice were what Vegeta felt in that moment.  “No!” he snapped at the mirror, but Jiro simply smirked, sadness radiating off of him.</p><p>“Yes, I am…My previous plans all failed.  My plan for this mirror has failed as well.  This may be the only way she can be free and still live, even though now I must pay the price and I will never get to experience that freedom with her.”</p><p>
  <em>“Then so be it.”</em>
</p><p>A blinding light engulfed the roof and Vegeta was actually able to feel the so called “spirit energy” Kaiya and her friends talked about after long last.  It was strange, different, and didn’t even feel as tangible as ki.  As the glow of the light started to diminish, so was both Jiro’s spirit energy and ki.  His life force completely faded away as the light disappeared.</p><p>Vegeta felt numb when he realized he was alone on the enemy’s rooftop and that said enemy had been killed, not by him nor through torture, but by his own foolish sacrifice.  His nearly nonexistent thoughts were interrupted when the voice of the mirror spoke again, this time to him.</p><p>
  <em>“In exchange for this man’s life, the girl you were joined by is no longer a file, name, or face in the Planet Trade Organization.  Any orders they gave regarding her are non-existent.”</em>
</p><p>The mirror then became dark again and the silence on the roof was deafening, and Vegeta could take no more of it.  His rival returned from dropping Kaiya off in the other dimension she had roots in and was stunned into silence at the scene in front of him.  Vegeta knew that Kakarot probably thought he ended Jiro, and it irritated Vegeta to know end knowing that he hadn’t.</p><p>“Save the hurt puppy look, Kakarot,” the prince scoffed.  “I didn’t lay a hand on him.  The fool ended his own life so that the PTO would forget everything about her.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t call him a fool for that,” Goku replied.  “In fact, I’d say what he did was noble.  If that Cooler guy does ever come looking for us, they won’t even go looking for her.”</p><p>“‘Noble,’” Vegeta repeated.  “Bah, you are all fools.”</p><p>And with those final words, Vegeta took off for Capsule Corp. with a bitter taste in his mouth.  The taste did not hold the same bitterness that defeat would cause, and tasted far worse than anything he had ever experienced.  It was the tang of unresolved anger in not getting the chance to reclaim the pride of his race.  Unfortunately, there was no way of bringing Jiro back, ever.</p><p>“He’ll get over it,” Goku stated to himself, though he wasn’t sure how true that actually was.  He looked over to Jiro’s body and frowned.  “Now how am I going to tell her about this?”</p><hr/><p>Kaiya and Hiei made it to the fray.  Thanks to the advanced notice, the demons were prepared while the demon hunters were quickly meeting their end.  Using the Jagan, Hiei located someone he knew well, and she was surprisingly with their friends.</p><p>“What are you guys doing here?” Kaiya asked in shock.  “I thought you were still at the temple.”</p><p>“Kuwabara had a premonition,” Kurama explained.  “He opted to stay back at the temple with Yukina.”</p><p>“At least we know his priorities,” Hiei stated, silently thanking the human for choosing to guard his sister.  “Mukuro.”</p><p>A female demon who adorned red hair and a covering over her right eye nodded to Hiei.  Kaiya blinked when she saw the woman who glared at her in return.  “Who is this <em>child</em>?”</p><p>Kaiya glared back at Mukuro.  “First off, I’m not a child, and second, who are you?”</p><p>“Kaiya,” Hiei growled at her in warning.  He motioned to the woman and said, “This is Mukuro, the Demon Lord I once served.”</p><p>Mukuro’s good eye widened in recognition before she closed it and chuckled.  “Ah, so this is the girl,” she mused.  “Well, in that case, I approve.  She has spirit.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t have cared if you gave your approval,” Hiei told her, “but thank you.  It means…quite a bit.”</p><p>Kaiya glanced between the two when she finally understood who Mukuro was.  She and Hiei had discussed his past at length sometime during the last year, including the most recent past.  Mukuro, as Hiei had stated, was one of the three Demon Kings, along with Yusuke’s demon ancestor and Kurama’s old thieving partner from the days before he met Kuronue.  Mukuro had a similar story to hers regarding her father, or so Hiei had told her.  He never disclosed anything about Mukuro that was too personal, but explained that she had given him guidance when he needed it, a home when he didn’t have one, and a title that held weight in Demon World.  He was the successor of her territory and, even though Demon World was run by a strange form of democracy now, that still meant something to the Makai populace.  Whether Hiei said it or not, Kaiya knew he saw Mukuro as a confidant and considered her opinion the way Kaiya considered her own mother’s.  Hiei never said he saw Mukuro as a mother-figure since he still had memories of his own mother, but he treated her with respect that those had for their elders, especially their parents.</p><p>“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mukuro,” Kaiya said respectfully while dodging an unconscious body of a demon hunter flung their way, “though I wish it was under better circumstances.”</p><p>As a demon hunter moved to attack Mukuro from behind, the woman simply flicked her hand causing energy to attack the unsuspecting human, killing the cloaked man instantly.  “I share your sentiments,” she remarked.  “Perhaps when this is all over we can actually engage in that small talk humans are so interested in.”</p><p>“I’ve taught her a lot about our culture,” Yusuke joked as he smacked Kaiya’s back.  “By the way, good to see you in one piece.  Where the hell did you run off to?”</p><p>Kaiya paled as Hiei growled.  “Let’s worry about the demon hunters trying to eliminate our friends,” she suggested.  “We can discuss my whereabouts later.  You guys will never believe what happened.”</p><p>So the spirit detective gang focused on the fight at hand, though it was the demons unassociated with Spirit World that did the real damage.  A few demons from Yusuke’s territory had joined up with them and Mukuro, and they told Kaiya that it was thanks to her they knew they wouldn’t get in trouble for defending their land.  It had actually been a very good and beneficial thing that she had taken that mission so that the demons could fight back.  The demon hunters were weak, and their technology was experimental.  They didn’t stand a chance.</p><p>Hiei caught a glance of someone which took him away from the battle royale taking place.  Kaiya called after him, but he singled out Jake in the crowd, which made no sense since he had witnessed Jiro kill the hunter.  Still, he was not letting him get off easy.  He had tortured Kaiya before, and kidnapped her against Jiro’s command now.  The human, no matter how much Kaiya wanted to believe, could not and would not change.  He proved that to the fire demon.</p><p>“I’m surprised you were willing to leave your little girlfriend,” Jake taunted.</p><p>Hiei narrowed his eyes at the human.  “Strike one against you.  How dare you even mention Kaiya when you did all that you did?  You’re pathetic.”</p><p>“No, you are,” Jake growled, “and she is.  Even Jiro is…I can’t believe everything was a lie.  Too bad I can’t take it out on him, though.  I’ll settle for you.”</p><p>Though the question was in Hiei’s mind, what exactly Jake meant by not being able to take anything out on Jiro, he didn’t voice it.  Instead he readied his sword and covered it in flames, the mortal flame to be exact.  He normally didn’t use moves combining swordsmanship and spirit energy, for he felt it lacked taste and artistry, but he would make an exception.  Jake did not deserve to be taken down with the Darkness Flame, but he did deserve pain, and a lot of it.  The mortal flame and his sword would take care of him.  He would regret ever going after Kaiya.</p><p>“How are you here?” Hiei remarked.</p><p>Jake only smirked.  “Doppelganger.  Jiro didn’t even realize that I wasn’t truly in the room.  We were all here to make a coup.”</p><p>“Well,” Hiei stated, “in that case it was a waste.  Your team is failing.  Jiro never prepared you for a real fight against A and S class demons.  How sad for you.”</p><p>Hiei sprang into action, charging at Jake with his glowing sword, but the human smirked and it put Hiei off a bit.  Why was he acting so smug?  He was at the disadvantage.</p><p>“You didn’t count on her following you, did you, fire demon?”</p><p>In a flash, Jake was holding some sort of gun that was aimed somewhere else.  Hiei quickly took a glance to see that the gun was aimed at Kaiya.  She had frozen in spot before regaining her composure.  “I would drop that if I were you,” Kaiya remarked.  “I know full well what type of gun that is and I know that it won’t hurt a Saiyan much.  Something Frieza’s lower soldiers used.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, what?” Jake spat out.  “What the heck are you talking about, demon?”</p><p>Hiei took advantage of his momentary confusion and manage to cut the arm holding the gun clean off.  “Gah!  Ugh!” Jake cried out grabbing his wound and falling to his knees.  “The…the f-f-f-f- H-How dare you…you bastard!”</p><p>Hiei smirked at the damage he caused and then looked to the amputated appendage.  “Call me what you will,” Hiei said before spitting on the useless arm.  “But I wasn’t the one about to attack an unarmed and undefended fighter.”</p><p>“B-But you would,” Jake stuttered.  “All you demons would.”</p><p>“If we were fighting for our lives or the lives of those close to us, yes we would,” Hiei acknowledged.  “And I will even admit I used to be like those demons you came across, killing humans out of amusement and boredom.”  He looked over to Kaiya, who already knew his past well enough.  “There were other circumstances back then that I refused to acknowledge, and I no longer kill for the sake of killing.  You, on the other hand,” he growled out looking back at the weakened human beneath him, “you were willing to murder an innocent woman of your own kind just because she had a trace of demon blood and became friends with us.  She never went against you humans, and I know you know that.”</p><p>“She took the man I respected away from me,” Jake spat out before gasping in pain.</p><p>“No,” Kaiya remarked.  “You did that to me.  My father…he was always acting.  If he hadn’t been putting on the act for you we might have been able to get past all of the Frieza stuff.”</p><p>“Seriously,” Jake breathed out in frustration.  “What the hell is a Frieza?”</p><p>Hiei glowered over the human, raising his sword above his heart.  <em>Kaiya, look away.  </em>Not needing to ask why, Kaiya did as she was told.  “Something, human, that you won’t need to worry about in a few seconds.”  And with that, Hiei plunged the flaming sword through Jake’s heart.</p><p>The flames disappeared from the metal and he sheathed it.  The sound of the hilt hitting the scabbard told Kaiya that it was over, so she turned back to look at her boyfriend sheepishly.  “Don’t give me that look, onna,” Hiei reprimanded her.  “You know it needed to be done.”</p><p>“I…I know,” she whispered.  “Still, I wish there could have been another way.”</p><p>“The battle is over,” Hiei said, abruptly changing the subject.  “Not one demon hunter is left in Demon World, or in Human World for that matter.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled a little bit, thinking of the fact that Jiro was no longer a demon hunter.  “Good.  We should get back soon, I guess.  It has to be daybreak by now.  Jiro will be so happy it’s over.”</p><p>“Kaiya…wait, there’s…something you should know,” Hiei stated awkwardly.</p><p>Apprehension flowed through the hybrids body as she saw that strangely emotional look Hiei was giving her.  Even if they were alone, they were still in public, and Hiei was in his element where he always had worn a hardened mask.  The fact that he was displaying such raw emotion right now was starting to make Kaiya fearful.  “W-What is it, Hiei?”</p><p>“Jiro…he won’t be there when we get back,” he said quietly.  Before he ended Jake, he had caught the stray thought about the Forlorn Hope.  “He’s gone.”</p><p>“No!” Kaiya screamed, slapping Hiei in the face.  “Don’t say that!  He’ll be there.”</p><p>“No, Kaiya…he won’t.”  He let Kaiya hit him repeatedly while holding her shaking form.</p><p>“No…” Kaiya said as she landed hits.  “No, no, no…not now.”  Tears started streaming down her face as her punches became less frequent.  She broke down on him just in time for their friends to find where they were.  Hiei gave all of them cutting looks telling them not to say anything while communicating what had occurred back in Human World.</p><p>When Kaiya’s sobs started to slow and Hiei’s grip on her tightened, the fire demon whispered, “Kakarot is with him.  We should go.”</p><p>“I really thought…” Kaiya started to say, but she couldn’t voice what she wanted to say.  She didn’t need to with Hiei, though, and she knew that.</p><p>“I know, Kaiya,” he said pressing his forehead to hers.  “I know.”</p><hr/><p>Goku was still on the rooftop looking between the mirror and Jiro, trying to make sense of how everything happened.  He knew what Jiro did, but how a mirror could grant wishes like the Dragon Balls yet take a life didn’t make sense to the Saiyan warrior.  He and his friends had made wishes on the Dragon Balls many times, mostly to restore lost lives, and it came at no consequence.  Jiro could have waited for the Dragon Balls to become active again instead of using the broken mirror.</p><p>He turned around when he sensed a group of energies appear behind him, using a portal Spirit World had called up for them.  Kaiya was surrounded by her friends, looking horrified and confused by the scene in front of her.  She had her fist clenched and held close to her chest as tears fell from her saddened, green eyes.</p><p>Goku stepped away so that she could walk towards her father’s body.  Hiei needed to help her get there, for in the moment she was nearly frozen in her spot due to the grief consuming her.  “He did it for you,” Goku stated as Kaiya and Hiei knelt down in front of her father.  “The PTO doesn’t know who you are anymore.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya replied hoarsely.  “Thank you, Kakarot.”</p><p>The Earth-raised Saiyan rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what she was thanking him for.  “You’re welcome?  For what, exactly?”</p><p>“For staying with him,” the girl said sadly.  “I’m glad he wasn’t alone.”</p><p>“I’m glad I was here,” Goku told her, “but I wasn’t the one with him when it happened.  Vegeta was.”</p><p>“He was?” Kaiya asked in shock flashing a stunned expression towards the other Saiyan.  “But I thought…never mind.  I think…I think I need to go home.”</p><p>“Yeah, we’ll take care of everything here,” Yusuke voiced.  “You’ve had a long day.  Should we alert his family?”</p><p>“No,” Kaiya said in alarm before relaxing in Hiei’s grip.  “I…I don’t think he contacted them when he came back.  Please, just…can someone tell Maya?”</p><p>Kuronue nodded.  “I’ll take care of it.  You go home a get some sleep.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Kaiya chuckled bitterly.  “Sure.”  <em>If I can.</em></p><hr/><p>Vegeta was still livid by the fact that two fights that night had been taken away from him, his rematch with Kakarot and his battle with Jiro, not that the latter would have been a real battle.  Training in the GR didn’t even seem to alleviate the aggravation he felt at the choice Jiro had made.  He chose the coward’s way out, wishing away his mistakes as a means to correct them while taking his life in the process to not have to deal with the outcome.  Vegeta did not see it as a sacrifice for his daughter, but abandoning a fight with the Arcosians and with him.  Sure, Kaiya was free now to choose what she wanted to do, which had been what Vegeta had wanted when he sent her off of Frieza’s ship as a teenager.  He did not run away from his problems, but faced them and was punished for them.  He was not a coward like Jiro, and yet the weakling had the nerve to ask him a favor, to tell his daughter he loved her.  Besides those words being completely worthless to the Saiyan prince, they were not his words to tell.  If Jiro had wanted Kaiya to know so badly, then he would have told her himself.</p><p>Kaiya touched down in the backyard of Capsule Corp. after asking Hiei to give her a moment alone with Vegeta.  Hiei agreed but was planning on keeping tabs on the two.  He knew that Vegeta was not exactly happy with how things played out that night, and he was concerned that he would take it out on Kaiya.  With her being emotionally vulnerable, anything Vegeta would say would hold weight.  Hiei did not want Kaiya shutting down again like after Jiro had been defeated the first time or after she went on her mission after a fight with Vegeta.</p><p>Vegeta didn’t say anything when she touched down; he simply stared up at the stars wondering why he was still there.  In all honesty, Earth was proving to be more of a distraction he didn’t need.  What he needed was to transform and best Kakarot.  He wanted to test his strength against the androids when the time came, but until then he needed to train and accomplish his primary goal.  He couldn’t do that on Planet Earth.  He needed to leave as soon as possible, regardless of the emotional torrent threatening his mind because he was feeding off Kaiya’s emotions or the fact that Kaiya would remain there.</p><p>“Kakarot told me you were with my father when he died,” Kaiya stated with admiration.  “I know you didn’t like him, but it means a lot that you were there for him and he didn’t have to go through it alone.”</p><p>“I didn’t do it for that reason,” Vegeta remarked curtly.  “For all I care that mirror saved me the trouble of having to kill him myself.”</p><p>Vegeta felt a jolt in his mind and turned to see Kaiya glaring at him.  “You wouldn’t have had to.  We were on the same side.  He told me everything.”</p><p>“He will always be the bastard who contributed to the destruction of the Saiyan race,” Vegeta declared.  “We would have never been on the same side.”  He looked over to his ship in that instance, wanting to just launch into space.</p><p>Kaiya sighed, but said nothing else before turning away from him.  She knew everything he was thinking because of their mental link and it hurt her slightly, but she didn’t want him to think she was hurt.  “So that’s it then?” she asked.  “You want to leave to train, and you still want to destroy Kakarot.  I thought you left that part of your life behind you.”</p><p>“I left the PTO behind, yes,” Vegeta admitted.  “The rest is a part of me that you wouldn’t understand.”</p><p>“No, I wouldn’t,” Kaiya agreed, “though I do try.  I tried to use that part to fight on my mission and I still couldn’t take life.  I know we’ll always be who we are, but I honestly thought the connection could help us learn more and balance us, but you only see it as a distraction.”</p><p>“You said that your master or Hiei could tell us how to fix this,” Vegeta said, side-stepping the comments Kaiya had made.</p><p>“Hiei told me,” Kaiya admitted, “but I don’t think I’m going to tell you.”  Vegeta’s expression darkened as he walked over to her.  He could sense her fear in her mind, but she stood her ground.  “I know that pisses you off, but if you want to break the connection, you have to figure out how to do it.  I never once judged you for your dark or angered thoughts despite how different that is from my thinking, but you judge me all the time for my mercy and ‘stupidity,’ right?  That’s what you think of me.  I get it, and I don’t mind.  I know how to block your thoughts from me because I know more about how telepathy works.  If you want to permanently break the connection you need to figure it out for yourself.  Good luck with training.  I hope I do see you again.  Maybe by then you’ll understand me a little better.”</p><p>“There is nothing to understand,” Vegeta ridiculed.  “You let that idiot walk all over you to gain his acceptance and then the second he says the words you’ve always wanted to hear, you let your guard down.  He could have killed you.”</p><p>“But he didn’t,” Kaiya pointed out.  “I don’t choose to look at everything as a fight.  You don’t have to anymore either, you know.  We are both free now.”</p><p>Vegeta rolled his eyes at her words.  “This is my choice, Kaiya,” Vegeta growled.  “The fact that you suggest otherwise is an insult.”</p><p>Kaiya smiled, though Vegeta didn’t understand why.  “Payback for all of the insults I’ve sensed from you,” she chuckled.  “Look, I’m not out here to fight you or even say change what you’re going to do.  Just letting you know the option is out there.”</p><p>“You are a strange girl,” Vegeta mumbled.  “You make even less sense than Kakarot.”</p><p>“You’ve wanted to understand my thinking for a while,” Kaiya mentioned, which Vegeta couldn’t disagree.  Since he had sensed her emotions all the time, and since they affected him when he didn’t want them to, he figured he should know.  “I don’t see the world as black and white.  I get that there’s evil and good, and I get that there’s a part of everyone that’s somewhere in between.  It doesn’t bother me, anything I saw you do in your past, nor does it bother me that I’m friends with demons that used to steal and kill for a living.  Doing bad things doesn’t make someone evil, just like doing good things doesn’t make someone good.  I can be honest with myself and say that Jiro wasn’t a good person.  I’m not forgiving what he did.  I forgave him, because he’s my father, and I was hoping we could put it all behind us and maybe one day we could have had our good memories back.</p><p>“I know that I’m talking in circles,” Kaiya joked.  “I know how I am.  And right now, I see you wondering what my point is and you’re even wondering what I think about you.”  Vegeta yet again glared at the girl, wanting her to, as she said, get to the point.  “I think you’ve done bad things because you were raised to believe it was right but, despite that, you went against everything you were taught to do the right thing.  You helped me when you didn’t have to…you sent me away against your orders.  You went against Frieza even though that’s considered mutiny.  You’ve done the right thing a few times for the right reasons.  Despite things you’ve done, I see you as a good person.  I acknowledge that your goals still aren’t pure, but I don’t care because you’re my brother and I accept you.</p><p>“That’s the way I think,” she said finally reaching her point.  “My friends and family are the most important thing to me, and no matter what any of you have done or will do, I still love you and can forgive you.  I may not approve of your desire to kill Kakarot, nor do I like the idea that you wanted Jiro to die, but I can’t change it.”</p><p>“So you’re overlooking it and honestly wishing me luck with my training,” Vegeta remarked.</p><p>“Not exactly,” Kaiya responded.  “I’m wishing you luck with training because I know it’s important to you.  As for overlooking what you’re planning to do, I hope you change your mind, for your sake.  And before you flip out for me saying you’re weak, that’s not what I meant.  I just mean…Vegeta, he’s one of us.  I understand the rivalry, but I don’t think you want to kill him.”</p><p>“You are a naïve child,” Vegeta spat.  “You don’t know anything about me.”</p><p>“I am naïve,” Kaiya said with a nod.  “I accept that.  I can also admit that I’m a hopeful optimist.  You can’t admit, though, that you don’t want Kakarot dead.  If you truly did, you wouldn’t have left me with him when you fought Hiei.”  She smiled at him.  “Nor do you like him that much.  You have mixed feelings.  Believe me; I know what that’s like.”</p><p>“All of this useless babble was just a way to distract me from leaving,” Vegeta said accusingly.  “Now leave me be.  I’m leaving.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya whispered while looking down.  “Think what you want, but I wasn’t trying to stall.  Sometimes talking helps me sort out my emotions which, to be honest, are all over the place tonight.  I just wanted to talk to you a few extra minutes before you left.  I don’t know when I’ll see you again and I don’t know…I just…I’ll miss you, Geta.”  Before he could say anything, Kaiya threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him.  “Please come back…and not just to destroy, or not destroy, Kakarot.  I need you, brother, to come back for me too.”</p><p>Vegeta shook his head as he just stood there.  Eventually he pushed her away and walked into his ship.  He looked over his shoulder before the door shut and saw Kaiya still smiling at him.  She obviously couldn’t feel his emotions, but he could feel hers.  She wasn’t lying when she said she knew how to block him out and that he would need to figure it out for himself.  He then understood something.  Kaiya had her pride too, and she didn’t want to admit to him that she couldn’t tell him exactly what to do, but she told him what he needed to do.  He needed to figure out how to raise a wall himself. There was a chance that her master or her boyfriend could teach him to raise a wall, but it would delay him leaving.  Vegeta smirked.  The girl agreed she was delusional, even about him, though she accepted the reality.</p><p>“Foolish kid,” Vegeta said fondly.  “She’s an enigma.”</p><hr/><p>“You know that conversation made absolutely no sense,” Hiei stated as Kaiya came to bed.</p><p>“I know,” she admitted.  “I can’t think straight right now, anyway.  I didn’t have to make sense.  I think I got my point across anyway.”  As she slipped into bed, she faced him and smirked.  “Now, why were you spying on us?”</p><p>Hiei blushed slightly before looking at a spot on the bed.  “A lot happened today and you are also upset about Jiro.  I was worried he would say something to hurt you.”</p><p>Kaiya shrugged.  “Even if he had, I would have gotten over it. I’m starting to learn that not everything that comes out of someone’s mouth is the way they really feel.”  The girl then frowned and turned over in bed.  “I really wish that he wouldn’t have done that.  I don’t care about that Cooler guy or if he would have remembered me.”</p><p>“I know that, and he knows that,” Hiei told her.  “Sometimes others do stupid things that others don’t agree with to protect someone they care about.  Unfortunately, we have to accept what he did.  Life moves on.”</p><p>Kaiya nodded, knowing Hiei was right.  “I feel a little numb right now, Hiei,” she confessed.  “I don’t know if it’s the shock of today or the fact that my father led a double life.”</p><p>“It’s to be expected, onna.  You’ll feel different with time.  Until then, you have us.”</p><p>“I know,” Kaiya assured him.  “Like last time.”</p><p>Hiei nodded as he nuzzled against her and wrapped an arm around her waist.  “Like last time.”</p><hr/><p>Weeks passed after that night, and Spirit World was in disarray dealing with the sentencing of so many souls.  At first it was called into question by the Spirit Defense Force, or SDF, if it was truly self-defense, but Koenma assured them it was and to not cause trouble for the demons.  They reluctantly accepted that and left well enough alone.  The biggest issue was getting the mirror back into the vault without them questioning it.  Thankfully Kurama had returned the object in secret.  It wasn’t like Koenma had his father to answer to anymore, but things were still rocky in Spirit World since Koenma took power.</p><p>Kaiya and Mayonaka decided to have a small, private burial for their father.  When he had died before, there had been a memorial service back in the states that the girls had opted not to go to.  Since they were pretty much the only ones who knew about his return, they decided they would use this burial for their own mourning.</p><p>Things were strange now that Jiro was gone and Vegeta was off somewhere in space.  Kaiya still felt like everything around her wasn’t real.  It was a difficult feeling to shake, but she knew her boyfriend was right about her needing time.  That was what they planned to do, take time away from everything.  There was still another month or so before her studies resumed, and she and Hiei had been doing a lot of talking about their future as of late.  They hadn’t forgotten the fact that in this whole ordeal they found out they were soul mates.  It was quite hilarious how they complimented each other, her being dejected by her father making her distrust men and him being dejected by his people making him distrust women.  They had sure come a long way from that.</p><p>“So you two are going on a trip soon, huh?” Bulma teased.  “I’m sure your mother will be happy to see you.”</p><p>“Yeah, she will,” Kaiya agreed as she packed the last of her suitcase.  “We figured we’ll go spend time with each side of my family and then take a nice, long extended vacation.  If Vegeta comes back, though, please let me know.”</p><p>“I will,” Bulma told her before a wave of nausea hit the blue-haired woman.  Kaiya watched her, concern etched on her face.  This hadn’t been the first time Bulma had randomly fallen sick in the past month and Kaiya was worried about her.</p><p>“Do you think maybe you have the stomach flu?” Kaiya called out to her.  Bulma chuckled bitterly as she washed her face in the bathroom.</p><p>“Nope, that’s not what this is,” Bulma told her.  “I found out earlier today that I’m pregnant.”</p><p>Kaiya paused in what she was doing and ran into the bathroom, staring blankly at Bulma.  “You’re what?”  Bulma opened her mouth to speak again, but Kaiya stopped her.  “Rhetorical.  What I should be asking is when did you start dating again?”</p><p>Bulma laughed at the girl’s reaction and led her so they could both sit down on the bed.  “It wasn’t like that, Kaiya,” Bulma told her.  “It was sort of a spur of the moment type thing that just happened.”</p><p>“With who?” Kaiya said in exasperation.  Then her eyes widened.  “Please, don’t tell me it was that Yamcha guy.”</p><p>Bulma smiled remembering just how much of a first impression Yamcha had made on the girl. “No, Kaiya, it wasn’t Yamcha.  Actually, it was Vegeta.”</p><p>“WHAT?”</p><p>Kaiya pretty much had fallen over onto the floor, Bulma looking down guiltily wondering if there was a different way she could have put that.  The young hybrid just looked confused, shocked, stunned…there had to have been many more words to describe the far-off look on her face.  “You mean…I don’t even want to know,” Kaiya remarked making Bulma laugh a little at her reaction.  Kaiya sat up in her spot on the floor and looked up at Bulma.  “So you and my brother…you guys are having a baby?”</p><p>Bulma smiled fondly.  “Yeah, it looks like it.”</p><p>“That means I’m going to be an aunt!” Kaiya realized as she jumped up. “Oh my God…now I don’t want to go away for too long.”</p><p>“No, sweetie,” Bulma said waving off her concern.  “You will only be gone for about a month or so.  When you get back, we can go nuts over this together.  For now, you just go and enjoy your time with your family.  We’ll keep in touch.”</p><p>Kaiya grinned at Bulma and nodded, her tail swirling around behind her.  “You better,” she threatened halfheartedly.  “I want to know everything about my niece or nephew.  Oh my gosh!  I’m becoming an aunt on both sides.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Bulma questioned.  She wasn’t aware of any of Kaiya’s relatives being pregnant.</p><p>“Well, Yukina is having twins,” Kaiya stated with a smile on her face, “and well…there’s more about this trip that Hiei and I haven’t told the others about yet.”</p><p>“I think I know,” Bulma teased.  “Let me guess, this is a getting to know the in-laws more before the two of you drop the bomb on them that you’re getting married, and then you’ll tell everyone here, right?”</p><p>“You know me so well now that it scares me,” Kaiya muttered before her enthusiasm from before returned.  “Yes, that’s right, but it’s also the ‘hey everyone, I’m part demon and Saiyan now and I’m marrying a demon so deal’ type thing.  Not so much for Jiro’s family or my mother since they already knew but my mom’s parents and sisters are going to flip out when they learn that, so we figured visit Jiro’s family first, visit mom and her family, tell everyone we’re getting married, and then when we’re leaving the last night before vacationing, dropping that bombshell on them and getting the hell out of there.”</p><p>The two women began to chortle with laughter that they needed to lean on each other for support.  “Well, I wish you luck with that.  At least when I tell my parents I’m pregnant and that Vegeta’s the father, I’ll only have to worry about my mother asking when she’ll have more grandchildren and my father designing new toys for the unborn child.”</p><p>Kaiya shook her head, smirking slightly, knowing that was exactly how everything was going to play out.  “Welp,” she replied, “things are definitely going to get interesting for sure.  Anyways, Hiei is on his way back from the temple saying goodbye to his sister.  We’ll be heading out tonight.”</p><p>Bulma beamed at the girl and threw her a capsule.  Kaiya just looked at her strangely.  “It’s a capsule plane.  You guys have an all clear for takeoff tonight.”</p><p>Kaiya joked, “Great, all that was missing was my boyfriend taking a joyride in a plane tonight.  Our trip is complete.”</p><p>“Ah, so my work here is done,” Bulma joked with her before sincerely saying, “I hope the two of you enjoy every minute of your trip.”</p><p>“Thank you, Bulma,” Kaiya said softly, “for absolutely everything.”</p><hr/><p>Vegeta was stunned at everything he had heard that day.  He had been meditating, trying to find a way to sever the connection to Kaiya’s mind.  Over the past few weeks, he had gotten better at blocking out her emotions for short periods of time, but he had not been able to erect a barrier between them.  It was during this period of meditating to make his mind stronger that he had felt Kaiya’s immense joy.  He hadn’t felt her feel that way since he had returned home from his trip in space.  Curiosity got the better of him and so he pressed a little further.  Kaiya had blocked his thoughts from invading her mind, but she willingly left her mind open to him.  He couldn’t believe everything going on back on the blue planet.</p><p>He was going to be a father, definitely unexpected.  Kaiya was going to tell her entire family, and Jiro’s, about everything, which was also unexpected.  She and Hiei were planning on getting married…not completely unexpected.</p><p>There was a lot going on that proved to be more of a distraction now that he was away.  Still, his training was going well, and he did not plan to interrupt it at all, even if he could sense his sister’s foolish hope that he would return for her wedding.  He did not understand the significance of the strange ceremony, but that was the same for every Earthling tradition.  He wasn’t going to linger on it.</p><p>Instead, he blocked out his sister’s emotions once again, hoping to do so for an even longer time than he had been.  This new power he was feeling, energy from the spirit, that he was using to block everything out intrigued him.  Smirking, he voiced his opinion.  “Interesting indeed.”  For a second, it was almost as if he was agreeing with his sister on that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: This concludes the Jiro Conflict Arc.  The next parts of the story were to be in a story I worked on called Against the World, but I ended up scrapping it. It still think about it from time to time, because of exciting arcs like Cooler, the Androids, Cell, etc. I don't know if I'll ever work on it or not, but I do keep thinking about it so it may be a possibility one day. Anyway, thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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